Let us review the past four months:

May

negotiations sent to mediation (the mediator was selected by the Public Employee Relation’s Board. Neither your negotiation team nor the District had a choice of mediators.)

June

First mediation session held. At this time the mediator ruled that no observers except the CTA Board (President John Jacobs, Vice President Tom Berg, Director Dan Haley were present), would be allowed. The mediator also ruled that general communications with our members were acceptable but the specifics of each mediation session were not. NOT TO WORRY THE DISTRICT IS ALWAYS SHORT ON SPECIFICS! This first session resulted in no movement from the District. At the conclusion of the session, the mediator ordered a meeting between PCC’s CFO Peter Hardash and CTA’s Budget Expert Alan Fry to examine the numbers to see if any movement on either side is possible.

July

Your CTA negotiating team requested one more session to discuss part-time augmentation funds. The mediator was present however the end result was no movement from the District. (go to www.pro-faculty.net to examine our proposal as opposed to the District’s).

August

CTA budget expert Alan Fry met with PCC’s CFO Peter Hardash. Here is a summary of Wednesday, August 21. Meeting scheduled for 10 am in the office of Peter Hardash. Both Hardash and Fry were present. Lisa Adams (our CTA regional representative) and Ernestine Moore were present. Suzanne Anderson was to be present as an observer for the negotiating team.

Ernestine Moore: That was not the intent of the mediator to have any negotiators present.

Suzanne Anderson: You are here.

Ernestine Moore: Lisa Adams is here to observe for your side.

Suzanne Anderson: No, she is here with Alan Fry. I am here representing the local. I will not speak just observe. I need to report the findings back to our negotiating team.

Ernestine Moore: That was not the intent of the mediator to have observers. We need to call the mediator. (Ernestine Moore leaves the room to call the mediator)

Rod Foster: enters the room.

Suzanne Anderson: Rod there can be only one person for the team allowed to observe. (Suzanne and Rod agree that Suzanne will stay and report back to the negotiating team)

Ernestine Moore: I paged the mediator.

Minutes later the mediator calls. The mediator rules that Lisa Adams, Suzanne Anderson, and Ernestine Moore must leave the room. THERE WERE NO OBSERVERS! Once again negotiations are stalled. Neither the Union nor the District has any insight as to the result of this budget meeting. There are at the present time no further mediation sessions scheduled.

* Go to www.pro-faculty.net and e-mail the Board of Trustees regarding your thoughts on this closed process.

IT IS YOUR MONEY!

Throughout the mediation process, mediator Dolores Lobina has stated in a rather hostile manner that she needs to “punch our ticket” in order for us to move on to fact-finding. She has also state that she could keep us there indefinitely if she chooses. According to the Public Employee’s Relation Act,

“if the mediator is unable to effect settlement of the controversy within 15 days after her/his appointment, the mediator then declares that fact-finding is appropriate to the resolution of the impasse. Either party may, by written notification to the other, request that their differences be submitted to a fact-finding panel. Within five days after receipt of the written request, each party shall select a person to serve as its member of the fact-finding panel. PERB shall, within five days after such selection, select a chairperson of the fact-finding panel. The chairperson designated by PERB shall not, without the consent of both parties, be the same person who served as mediator pursuant to Section 3548 of the California Public Employee Relations Act.”

The CTA negotiating team has contacted the Public Employee’s Relation Board asking them to rule that we move immediately on to the next level (fact-finding).

April Election Results

The turnout for April’s elections (81 members) was large considering that there were no candidates running opposed.

Go to www.pro-faculty.net for a breakdown of the vote and further information regarding October’s CTA bargaining conference.

September 5, 12-1 in the Forum is the first General Union Meeting for the school year. All faculty, staff, and students are invited. Lunch with be served!

Every Tuesday at 4:00 pm in C217 all unions meet to strategize. All interested parties are welcome.

September 11 at 7:00 pm in the Circadian the Board of Trustees meet. All faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to attend.

Go to www.pro-faculty.net and write letters to the editor of the Pasadena Star News and the Courier. E-mail your Board of Trustees and Dr. Kossler. Volunteer to help build liaisons with our community – PASADENA AND BEYOND.