|
May, 2003, Volume 13, Issue 6 - April 24: CSEA rejects District proposal to lay off 52 classified staff and institute 10% reduction in hours |
 |
 |
 |
By Peggy Rhodes
The Chapter 36 CSEA Negotiating Team met with the District, Thursday, April 24th, to negotiate alternatives to layoffs. The District rejected implementing CSEA’s Work Sharing proposal, which was offered as one of a package of alternatives to the District's intended layoffs. The Work Sharing program could save the District in excess of $2 million, which, added to other cost saving alternatives amounts to almost $4.5 million. This figure is close to the District’s goal of saving $5 million through Classified salaries.
The District stated that they want to implement the EDD Work Sharing plan in addition to laying off upwards of 52 permanent Classified employees, almost 12% of the current staff. Also, they would not assure us that there would not be a larger number of employees laid off at a later date, or say who or in what departments they might be. We rejected this plan.
The District could retain up to $7 Million if the Work Sharing program and early retirements, and layoffs were implemented. This is nearly half of the worst case District budget scenario and is far more than Classified employees’ Fair Share of the burden.
Further, the District would not make a commitment to us that Classified Managers would be included in a Work Sharing program. Their plan also maintains that the District would have unilateral authority to change shifts and hours of work. The District’s method of reducing hours through the Work Sharing program would be at the discretion of management. Their plan would be mandatory for one year without review, rather than the six month review interval, which CSEA proposed. We rejected this plan.
During Thursday’s meeting, the District suddenly terminated the negotiations. We offered to make ourselves available to meet with the District to continue bargaining on this issue, yet the District stated that "there is nothing left to meet on" regarding alternatives to layoffs.
We notified the College Board of the situation. We informed the District that we continue to be available to meet with them to discuss alternatives to layoffs should they decide to readdress CSEA’s Work Sharing plan, which, again, is in lieu of impending layoffs, not in addition to layoffs.
The chapter held an emergency Chapter meeting on May 5, where the members voted on a proposal to "Negotiate the Effects of Layoffs". The Chapter 36 Negotiating Team will meet with the District, May 20, to resume negotiations on the successor contract. Despite our requests for information to enable us to resume talks on alternatives to layoffs, such talks have not been scheduled. Judging by the District’s lack of candor in their May 15 presentation to the Board of Trustees, we are not optimistic about the future of these talks. Because 6 vocational programs have been eliminated, layoffs of classified staff seem imminent.
|
