UC-AFT Insider October 2017

University Council-AFT Insider
October 9, 2017
 

In this issue:

·New Employee Orientations Bargaining Update #2

·Resolution In Support of Racial Justice

·UC-AFT Gets Organized—A Statewide Overview

·Supreme Court Grants Petition on Janus v. AFSCME

·CFT Straw Poll for California Governor Endorsement

New Employee Orientations Bargaining Update #2
On October 4, our bargaining team met with UC administrators at UCLA for our second negotiating session over new hire orientations for lecturers and librarians. A new state law requires state employers to provide unions with access to their members during new employee onboarding processes. In negotiations, UC administrators continue to push an online orientation program that would leave our members alone at our computers trying to answer complex questions about health and retirement benefits, appointment and reappointment process and other essential employment information. UC-AFT has proposed in-person, appointment specific orientations with an opportunity for Q&A, and ample time for our union to connect our new colleagues with valuable resources from around campus and from within our union. Please take a minute to read the bargaining update posted at ucaft.org.

Resolution in Support of Racial Justice
At our meeting on September 16, the UC-AFT Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of racial justice at UC and beyond. The resolution is posted to our website along with a photo of several of our members participating in the Berkeley Rally Against White Supremacy on September 25.

UC-AFT Gets Organized—A Statewide Overview
Our V.P. for Organizing, and UCSC Writing Program Lecturer, Roxi Power, has written an overview of all the great organizing we’re doing as we strive to fulfill our aspirations to be an active, democratic and member-run union! We’re planning big member outreach efforts on all campuses with the goal of significantly increasing our membership and building a network of UC-AFT members that can sustain the power of our union regardless of the attacks we face from right-to-work foundations and other anti-union forces (see below). Read the overview, then figure out how you can connect with UC-AFT members and activities on your campus.

Supreme Court Grants Petition on Janus v. AFSCME
On September 28, the US Supreme Court granted petition on Janus v. AFSCME. This case follows on the heels of last year’s Friedrichs v. CTA, which left the Court unresolved after Justice Scalia’s death resulted in a split vote. With a newly appointed conservative justice on the Court, it is widely held that the majority will overturn a forty-year old law that allows unions to charge non-members a “fair share” fee for work we are legally required to do that benefits all members of a bargaining unit, i.e. contract negotiations, filing grievances and providing other support around contractual and legal rights. This flyer shows UC-AFT’s accomplishments since the fair share fee became law in California in 2001.

CFT Straw Poll for California Governor Endorsement
Our statewide affiliate union, the California Federation of Teachers, is conducting an online straw poll of CFT members in advance of endorsing a candidate in the California gubernatorial race. Please take a minute to let CFT know which candidate you support.

Join UC-AFT: Become a member of UC-AFT using our easy online membership form.

UC-AFT on: Facebook Twitter YouTube

The University Council – American Federation of Teachers is an affiliate of the California Federation of Teachers, the American Federation of Teachers and the AFL-CIO.