We represent over 550 Fresno Unified School District workers. Are you having a problem at work? Contact your worksite steward first.
2008-2011 CONTRACT BARGAINING TEAM
- Transportation: Gwyn Harshaw, President
- IMS: Richard Marquez, Vice President
- Tenaya: Karla Sapien, Secretary
- Gardening Department: Don Sommarstrom
- Custodial: Dennis Pendergrass
- Warehouse: Chris Norman
Message from Pat Riley, SEIU Local 521 Internal Organizer:
Attention all plant coordinators and custodians!
"We are entering the hottest time of the year. I will be meeting soon with the Maintenance Department Managers to discuss the working conditions for the summer.
Please take a few minutes and write down some ideas that you have that would help you during your cleaning. For example:
• Starting times
• Cleaning certain rooms at a certain time because of the heat.
• Taking more frequent breaks because of the heat.
• Anything you can think of to make your job SAFE this summer.
Just write your ideas down and send them through the intra-district mail as soon as possible to: SEIU 521/Pat Riley. I will be taking Dennis Pendergrass and Karla Sapien with me to this meeting hopefully next week."
Message from Gwyn Harshaw, FUSD Chapter President
Contract Ratification Vote Passed on May 2, 2008
On May 2, 2008 our contract ratification vote passed. The next step is it goes to the School Board May 14th for approval. Then the retro-checks should be distributed at the end of the month.
Thanks to the Bargaining Team members for their hard work and dedication to this process.
BARGAINING TEAM MEMBERS
Gwyn Harshaw
Ralph Garica
Kathy Seward
Richard Marquez
Ron Pazeian
Karla Sapien
Classified Employees Chapter; Contract Ratification Vote
We have finally reached a tentative agreement with the District.
The issues agreed to are as follows:
1. 2 ½% raise retro back to July 1, 2007
2. Promotion language
3. Transfer language/return to previous job
4. Vacation carry over language change from 40 hours to 80 hours
5. District has agreed that 20 custodians can be off on any day
6. Working out of class procedure language
7. District department meetings
If the vote passes it will go to the School Board for approval at the next Board meeting and the District will begin working on retro checks.
The Bargaining Team recommends a YES vote!
Members may vote at any of the following sites & times on May 2, 2008:
Transportation Department: Driver's Room - 5:45 a.m.-7:00 a.m.
Gardening Department: Break Room - 5:45 a.m.-6:15 a.m.
District Warehouse: 6:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m.
Fort Miller Middle School: Library - 1:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Count Votes: Fort Miller Middle School at 3:35 p.m.
Contract Victory: Wage Increase and Increase in Health Plan
On May 9, at the FUSD school board meeting our contract was approved by a 6-0 margin (one member was not at the meeting).
Members won the following:
- 5.5% raise retro active to July 1,2006
- A bonus of $100,$200 or $300 dollars depending on your contracted hours
- 1.17% increase in health plan
- A "me too" clause
- Changes in language regarding evaluations
- Catastrophic illness language (new)
Also the 1200 Substitute Teachers that Local 521 represents will be getting .5% added to their pay schedule and will also receive the bonus to since we bargained a "me too" clause for them.
"I would like to thank the bargaining team of Gwyn Harshaw, Ralph Garcia, Richard Marquez, Ron , Pazeian, Kathy Seward and Emma Fontes for their dedication to this long process. Also I would thank our members who supported our efforts at the table and understood that sometimes it takes longer than we like to bargain a contract. We will begin bargaining in July 07 on re-openers. We will be successful again of that you can be sure" - Pat Riley, SEIU Local 521 Internal Organizer