California School Employees Association GENERAL INFORMATION BULLETIN

Transcription

1 AFL-CIO California School Employees Association GENERAL INFORMATION BULLETIN January, General Information Bulletin No. - UNION STEWARD CERTIFICATION PROGRAM Action for Chapter Presidents: For discussion at chapter meetings and RPMs. A. SUBJECT MATTER Union Steward Certification Program At the CSEA Board meeting in July, the Board of Directors approved changes to Policy - Union Steward Certification Program (attached). The Union Steward Committee spent two years reviewing the Job Steward Certification Program. They surveyed members, including job stewards, certified job stewards, the Board of Directors, and staff. Based on the survey results and input from Senior Labor Relations Representatives and the Education and Training Department, the Committee built a new and exciting Union Steward Certification Program. The name change reflects the program design to build the union through strength and power. Further development of this program will include incentives and accountability for maintaining an active Union Steward standing. Integration with Previous Programs and Trainings As chapters update their Chapter Constitutions, they will be approved with the new language of Union Steward instead of Job Steward. Members who have only completed the former Basic Job Steward Training will need to take the Level 1 training. Letters have been sent out to members who will need to begin training at Level 1. Members who have completed the former Basic Job Steward Training and Advanced Steward Training have been mailed a letter referring to the new Union Steward Program as well as an updated Union Steward Checklist to complete. Members who have completed the Job Steward Certification Program will be considered a Union Steward and will be notified in May/June of of the changes made to the Union Steward Certification Program. If you have any questions, please contact the Senior Labor Relations Representative at your local field office. For information on the Union Steward trainings in your area, log onto the CSEA web site at www. csea.com and click on the field office nearest you. Continued on back

2 GIB No. - January, B. REQUIRED ACTION Chapter Presidents, Regional Representatives, and Labor Relations Representatives: As an information item for discussion at chapter meetings and RPMs to determine that the information has been received. CALIFORNIA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION DL:dc:jen Attachment: Policy Dave Low Executive Director DISTRIBUTION: (For Action) Chapter Presidents; Regional Representatives; Labor Relations Representatives (For Information) Board of Directors; Alternate Area Directors; Assistant Regional Representatives; Chairpersons & Members, Standing Committees; Political Action Coordinators; Regional Communications Officers; Retiree Unit Executive Board; Retiree Council Presidents; Life Members & Honor Roll Recipients; All Staff PREVIOUS BULLETIN INFORMATION: GIB -, dated 1//, and titled Chapter President Leadership Program Pilot Program, was given general distribution. California School Employees Association Lundy Avenue San Jose, CA 1 (0) -00 (00) -

3 UNION STEWARD CERTIFICATION PROGRAM Adopted July 01 Last Revised July.1 Intent To provide an ongoing, comprehensive program that includes classroom and on-line training and on-the-job experience in order to develop the skills of Union Stewards.. Delivery of Training.01 Each Field Office shall determine the delivery system based on the geography and needs of the chapters. The delivery format and schedule shall be determined at the LRR/RR Field Office team meeting.. 0 Participants may attend trainings offered by any Field Office.. Union Steward Training Level 1.01 Eligibility to Participate Participants must be Active (or Active Retired) members in good standing..0 Training/Curriculum The total number of training hours shall be no less than five () hours. Level 1 training shall consist of the following topics: (1) Know Your Rights () Structure of CSEA () What is Power/Strength? () What is a Contract/What is a Grievance? (c) The participant must achieve seventy percent (0%) on the assessment given during Level 1 training to proceed to Union Steward Training Level.. Union Steward Training Level.01 Eligibility to Participate. A participant must: Be an Active (or Active Retired) member in good standing. Have completed Union Steward Training Level 1. December 00-

4 Training/Curriculum The total number of training hours shall be at least fourteen and one-half (.) hours and shall consist of the following topics: (1) Steward Rights/Educational Employment Relations Act (EERA) () Conducting an Investigation/Working Effectively with Your Team () Grievance/Issue Organizing () Contract Interpretation () Grievance Writing () Weingarten Rights () Effectively Presenting Grievances/Skelly Rights () Why Politics is Essential The participant must achieve seventy percent (0%) on the assessment given during Level training to proceed to Union Steward Training Level.. Union Steward Training Level.01 Core Requirements The participant must use the Union Steward Checklist to record tasks completed. Each participant will be required to complete at least two () tasks from each of the five () core areas to proceed to the Union Steward Training Level and/or Certification Level. The core areas shall be: (1) Represent bargaining unit members and thoroughly investigate issues relative to work-related concerns, issues in the workplace, and various disciplinary actions. () Provide contract education for bargaining unit members () Regularly attend chapter and other designated meetings () Enforce the collective bargaining agreement () The importance of politics in public education 00- December

5 (c) The Union Steward Checklist must be submitted to the Field Office within the twelve () month period of time from Union Steward Training Level to participate in Union Steward Training Level..0 Eligibility to Participate. A participant must: Be an Active (or Active Retired) member in good standing. Have successfully completed Union Steward Training Level 1 and Level and core requirements as described in..01 and recorded on the Union Steward Checklist..0 Training/Curriculum The total number of hours shall be at least seven () hours of training and consist of the following topics: (1) Brief review of Level 1 and Level () Skill reinforcement/development () Applying skills and knowledge The participant must achieve seventy percent (0%) on the assessment given at the end of Level training to have successfully completed the Union Steward training. (c) The participant must complete Union Steward Training Level 1 through Level training within a three-year period of time to qualify for certification.. Union Steward Training Level Each Field Office will offer an alumni refresher training (Level ) to the Stewards who serve as active Stewards in their chapter and who have completed Union Steward Training Level. Each Field Office shall provide topical trainings three () times per year. This training shall serve as skill reinforcement.. Steward Certification Program/Union Steward Jacket.01 Core Requirements Each participant will be required to complete at least four () tasks from each of the five () core areas of the Union Steward Checklist to proceed to the Certification Level (Union Steward Jacket). The core areas shall be: (1) Represent bargaining unit members and thoroughly investigate issues relative to work-related concerns, issues in the workplace, and various disciplinary actions. December 00-

6 (c) (d) () Provide contract education for bargaining unit members () Regularly attend chapter and other designated meetings () Enforce the collective bargaining agreement () The importance of politics in public education The participant must also participate in a component of the Field Office s political program. The participant shall use the Union Steward Checklist to record tasks completed. This Checklist shall be submitted to the Field Office within the twelve () month period of time..0 When the following criteria have been met, the participant shall be eligible for a Union Steward jacket: Must currently be a Chapter President, an appointed or elected Chief Union Steward, an appointed or elected Union Steward, or an elected Executive Board officer with Chief Union Steward duties as part of the position. Successful completion of the Union Steward trainings Level 1 through Level. (c) (d) (e) Successful completion of at least four () core requirement tasks within a twelve () month period of time. Association-approved chapter constitution that provides for a Union Steward program. Association-approved chapter constitution language on Chief Union Steward must provide for one of the following. (1) Chief Union Steward as an elected Executive Board position. () An elected Executive Board officer with Chief Union Steward duties as part of the position. () Appointed Chief Union Steward with ratification by the membership and with removal process in the chapter constitution..0 A certification form shall be signed by the Chapter President, Labor Relations Representative, and Field Director. The Field Office shall submit the certification form, along with a copy of the pertinent sections of the Association-approved chapter constitution to the Director, Field Operations..0 The Field Office shall have the jacket awarded to the successful participant at a CSEA function, such as a recognition event, awards ceremony, leadership training, or Regional Presidents Meeting (RPM). In addition, the Field Office will have the Steward s name embroidered on the jacket. 00- December

7 A certified Steward may receive a replacement jacket after five () years, with CSEA and the Steward each paying one-half of the cost for the replacement jacket.. Mentor Stewards Members successfully completing the Steward Certification Program are eligible to apply for Mentor Steward Program. December 00-