Happy Valentine’s Day
From your CSEA Chapter 262 Leadership Team, Happy Valentine’s Day!
The origin of Valentine’s Day is not completely known or agreed upon by historians and scholars, although there is some agreement that several men known as “Valentine” lived and died as early as the third century.
St. Valentine as a love connection, though, can most likely be traced back to Geoffrey Chaucer’s Parliament of Fowls, written around the late 14th century. The poem describes birds gathering in the spring on 'seynt valentynes day' to choose their mates for the year.
According to Chaucer scholarship, the idea of Valentine's Day as a day for lovers comes from the poem, which he wrote in1382 to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II to Anne of Bohemia. The full line from the poem goes, “For this was on seynt Volantynys day, Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.” Chaucer’s Olde English aside, the meaning is clear — Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love.
February Is Black History Month
February is Black History Month, an opportunity to pay tribute to the many generations of African Americans who have come before us and those who continue to fight for what is true and just. Throughout our country’s history, African American men and women have contributed in every field, from politics to education, from arts and literature to, of course, civil rights.
For this tribute, we have to thank Dr. Carter G. Woodson (left). Dr. Woodson is considered the "Father of Black History." Woodson wanted blacks to be proud of their heritage, and, being an educator, of course wanted to educate Americans about African American contributions to society. He specifically chose the second week in February to serve as "Negro History Week" to include Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’s birthdays.
The response to the event, first celebrated in February 1926, was overwhelming, and both scholars and philanthropists embraced the idea. Nearly 50 years later, to coincide with the country’s bicentennial and in the wake of the civil rights movement, then President Gerald R. Ford expanded the tribute and decreed the month of February as a national observance.
Among the many and arguably most famous African American leaders was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King is a shining example of a person of color who made a profound change for the history of the nation. He also left his mark in the labor movement. In fact, our Chapter web site includes a quote from King, who addressed the AFL-CIO in 1965.
On January 20, we celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr., day. This inspirational leader shared the following words that he said to his workers the evening before his assassination: "You are demanding that this city will respect the dignity of labor. So often we overlook the work and the significance of those who are not in professional jobs, of those who are not in the so-called big jobs. But let me say to you tonight that whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth."
As we look forward to celebrating Valentine’s Day and President’s Day, we must also remember Dr. Carter Woodson for reminding us of the considerable contributions of African Americans throughout history, and particularly those who contributed to the labor movement (click here for more information).
Help Your Chapter and All CSEA Members to Victory!
In 1996 the CSEA Board of Directors established the prestigious Victory Club Circle of Stars Award in order to recognize the outstanding effort many chapters are making to increase membership enrollment in CSEA’s Victory Club. This award is presented every year at CSEA’s Annual Conference. The criteria for the 2020 Victory Club Circle of Stars Award is based on chapter Victory Club membership net growth (increase of new members minus loss of members over the prior year) from April 1, 2019 through March 31, 2020. For the purpose of this award, all new Victory Club memberships must be postmarked or received at CSEA Headquarters no later than March 31, 2020.
The Victory Club is an important and vital service to members. The Victory Club enables CSEA’s political arm to reach federal as well as state and local candidates. Together we can win the rights, retirement and respect that classified employees have earned through their dedication to public education and the students we serve. CSEA recently published a pamphlet called “We Wrote the Book” that details all the legislation CSEA sponsored or co-sponsored to get you your rights, like the eight-hour workday, overtime, bargaining rights, etc. Without the Victory Club, these and other rights could be at risk. Every year one bill or another goes to the legislation trying to roll back or rescind our defined benefit plan (CalPERS). These attacks are fought off by Victory Club funding.
Upon joining, you will receive the newly designed Victory Club pin in recognition of your important contribution. If you are already a member (prior to 2018), please submit a new Victory Club application today so that CSEA can convert your membership to the new Victory Club and send you the new Victory Club pin. For additional information on the new Victory Club, select Victory Club Questions and Answers.
CSEA Victory Club members contribute as little as one dollar a month (tenthly or just $10 per year) to the Victory Club through payroll deduction, yet the combined contributions of tens of thousands of Victory Club members makes a big difference, bringing in close to one million dollars a year. This means a stronger voice for CSEA in Sacramento and in Washington D.C.
CSEA encourages members to join at the $3.00/month or higher contribution level. Use the online Victory Club application to enroll. For more information, contact one of your Chapter 262 Leaders, a site representative, or attend the next Chapter meeting. Help your Chapter 262 achieve Star Status by joining today. Winning chapter will receive:
A U.S. flag flown over the State Capitol presented to them by their CSEA Area Director at a chapter meeting.
Circle of Stars Award certificates for each winning chapter.
Circle of Stars Award chapter plaque presented at Annual Conference.
Chapter name inscribed on the Circle of Stars Award plaque located in the Governmental Relations Office and the Circle of Stars Award plaque located in their respective field office.
Special recognition will be given to chapters with 100% membership in the Victory Club.
All chapters with Victory Club members will be listed on the printed Honor Roll poster that will be prominently displayed at the PACE CSEA Annual Conference booth.
Be It Therefore Resolved
The Student Centered Funding Formula (SCFF) is a complicated calculation that has many community college administrators, faculty, and classified professionals wondering whether their Districts are facing a significant budget deficit. Many colleges in the California community college system are further impacted by declining enrollment.
One of the changes to the SCFF that has everyone concerned is the change to the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). Before the SCFF, COLA was available to Districts to apply toward employee salaries. Here at Mt. SAC, the District’s past practice has been to negotiate funded COLA to the bargaining units. In the past, COLA has always gone towards salaries and benefits and rarely applied to District cost increases. Between CSEA and the Faculty Association, we have managed to keep COLA for its intended purpose.
Now, however, the new formula ties COLA into the performance equation, so, potentially, state-funded COLA could be used by community college districts to alleviate some of the impacts of the loss of income for underperforming, such as declining enrollment. However, Mt. SAC is not having that problem. Just this last week at the Facilities Advisory Committee meeting, Joumana McGowan, Associate Vice President of Instruction, mentioned during a discussion about classroom space that there is a need for more classrooms.
Instruction is having difficulty finding available classrooms because, while many other colleges are declining in enrollment, Mt. SAC is still growing. Mt. SAC is also in the enviable position, more than virtually every community college in the system, of having strong growth (pre- and post-SCFF) and plentiful reserves (our Board of Trustees requires a 10% reserve). Declining enrollment is not a significant concern.
It was exactly for this reason your Chapter 262 authored a resolution for the 2020 CSEA Annual Conference calling for CSEA to sponsor legislation that would remove COLA from the SCFF calculation and return it for its true purpose — enhancing employee salaries to keep up with the cost of living. Your Chapter 262 Leadership has also discussed our resolution with other CSEA chapters, the Faculty Association (who is exploring similar legislative relief) and the Academic Senate.
Annual Conference will be held this year July 20–23 in Las Vegas. Nominations for Chapter 262 delegates will be at the March 18 Chapter meeting with elections at the April 15 Chapter meeting. This year Chapter 262 will be able to send six representatives plus the Chapter President, one more than last year due to the increase in our membership. If you are interested in representing your Chapter at Annual Conference, come to the next Chapter meeting February 19 to learn more!
Sweet Deals … But Hurry!
Call the CSEA Member Benefits Service Center anytime during normal business hours between January 29 – February 14 and get an added discount on 1 lb. See’s certificates or any restaurant gift card just for ordering your Valentine’s Day goodies with CSEA. Don’t miss out on this special offer, place an order today!
This offer includes:
See's Candies Certificates – 1 lb. Certificate now $15
Restaurant Gift Cards ($25 value) - Applebee's, Chili's, Maggiano's, On the Border, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Season52, Bahama Breeze, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, IHOP, or Panera - now $20.50
Click here to view these and more offers from CSEA Member Benefits (login account required).
*Please keep in mind that it may take 7-10 business days to receive your order if sent by regular mail. Call CSEA Member Benefits at (866) 487-2732 to order your Sweetheart Special today!
CSEA Pre-Retirement Seminars
By Beverley Heasley, CSEA Chapter 262 Pre-Retirement Resource Specialist
Looking for information you need to maximize your pension benefits? CalPERS will be presenting and will provide informational booklets at the upcoming CSEA Pre-Retirement Seminars listed below. Additional information will be provided on Social Security and the CSEA Retiree Unit. All seminars are on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to Noon.
March 14, 2020
Upland Jr. High School
Multipurpose Room/Gym
444 E. 11th Street
Upland, CA 91786
Your CSEA Chapter 262 Executive Board:
Robert Stubbe, President • Rosa Asencio, 1st Vice President • Marlene Espina, 2nd Vice President
Barbara Carrillo, Secretary • Zak Gallegos, Treasurer
Elizabeth Jauregui, Chief Union Steward • Mark Fernandez, Communications Officer
Brandon Gillett, Site Rep Coordinator • Sandra Bollier, Past President
“To improve the lives of our members, students, and community.”
CSEA Chapter 262 • 1100 N. Grand Avenue Walnut, California 91789 • 909.274.6262 • www.csea262.org