On April 15^th, the Gallup-McKinley County School Board voted 5-0 to voluntarily recognize that it would bargain with the District's 285 Educational Assistants (EA’s).  But the School Board had a different story for the New Mexico Public Employees Labor Relations Board (PELRB). After agreeing publicly to recognize the EAs as part of the union, the District put a halt to the process at the PERLB indicating that the EAs had not yet proven that they deserved the right to bargain collectively.

In our final NDPEA Legislative Update for the 2013 session of the North Dakota State Legislature, we have the final information on state worker pay, as approved by the Legislature, and NDEA has a new president, who will serve as the first-ever president of our merged organization, North Dakota United. You're going to want to read all about it.

*School Board goes back on promise to bargain with Educational Assistants*

NOTICE OF 2013 ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP AND BUDGET MEETING

The Annual Membership Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 22, 2013, at 6:30 P.M.  The location for the meeting will be at the Truax Campus, in room 322.  Light refreshments will be served.
 

Meeting held at Hillsboro High School. Call to Order at 5:35PM.

Meeting Minutes - PDF - Draft

On the Home Front

This spring the key focus of the Passaic County Community College chapter of United Adjunct Faculty of NJ has been negotiations.  I thank everyone who participated in the surveys.  Quite a few people added their own comments to explain their ratings or share their experiences.  This was helpful and were considered along with comments and priorities in the negotiations survey when creating our demands for negotiating with the College for a new contract. .  The data is also guiding the negotiations team.  There was a broad range of views on the hiring process.  There were also some misconceptions noted in people’s comments that merit clarification.  First, the college is free to hire or not hire adjunct faculty each semester.  Second, the school is not required to give any explanation for not rehiring someone who has been working there regardless of how many semesters he/she has worked. In addition to negotiations, the union has been having a successful membership drive.   

AFTNJ/AFT

AFTNJ, the state union with which we are affiliated, has been busy advocating on our behalf, as well.  One area it is working in is trying to make sure that adjunct faculty do not have difficulty collecting unemployment.   AFTNJ and AFT national are also watching what effect full time status requirements will have under Obama care.  The regulations are still unclear as to what equals thirty hours a week (the amount of time to be considered full time) when it comes to teaching as adjunct faculty members.  One negative trend that has been noticed is that some schools have reduced the loads adjunct faculty can teach out of concern for being required to provide health benefits.

UAFNJ

We are a chapter of the United Adjunct Faculty of NJ.  Enclosed with this update is elections material for the UAFNJ.

GOING GREEN/SAVING GREEN

In the past I have asked for non school  e-mail addresses, and many people have given them.  However, many have not.  E-mail would allow us to be more environmentally friendly, save money, and save time.  Please e-mail me your e-mail addresses.  I can be reached at n2slf@aol.com/

THE TEACHERS INSURANCE and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF) has, for the first time, adopted a Responsible Contractor Policy dealing with its real estate investments. The decision came after AFT president Randi Weingarten met with TIAA-CREF chief executive officer Roger Ferguson. She announced the fund's new policy at a New York State United Teachers delegate assembly on April 12.

This "really important step," Weingarten said, makes "common cause with our brothers and sisters in the building trades."

Please be sure to join us for the final union meeting of the year on May 14.  All committees will report out. 

The North Dakota legislative session, now in its 80th and last day it can be in session legally, has been thrown into turmoil by the House's reconsideration and defeat of the K-12 education funding bill passed yesterday. NDPEA stands alongside our friends at NDEA in our disappointment with the games going on in the Capitol today. Read all about it.

You may have heard that we need to conduct another ratification vote.  This is true. In fact, we are currently waiting for a Memoradum of Agreement from the College attorney to present to you for ratification.