YWCA/Meeting Room/6:30P.M.
Officers present:
President - Tanya Allen
AFT Rep – Joanna McAvoy
Secretary - Renee Hamilton
Treasurer - Geneva Lyew
Miss Allen calls meeting to order at 6:33p.m.
Opens with question/ “Are there any members interested in holding a position on the executive committee or other committees, such as the financial, negotiation, grievance, and benefit committees.
No response from membership.
Miss Allen continues “Please think about it and contact a representative as soon as possible. Renegotiation of present contract is due to start soon.
Question-Ms Nicky “When is our present contract up?”
Answer-Miss Allen “We have to have a new agreement by Nov. 30th.”
Joanna adds “Usually all renegotiations run over the deadline, but we should be in the process of negotiation before Nov. 30th.
Ms Allen proceeds to explain COLA, stimulus, and quality improvement money plans.
COLA: “Your COL is 3.06 across the board”
Stimulus: “The stimulus will be 1.84.”
Quality Improvement Money: “Is a one time only grant that will be in affect for twelve months. Because we are a ten month program, the agency has broken the grant down to be administered in your salaries. The money can only be used for education, so Mrs. Blackmon has asked if the funds could be used to bring up salaries so that all the degrees are on the same level. Ex. If a new teacher with a BA has been hire at twenty dollars an hour and an older staff with the same degree is making eight-teen the QIM will bring the older staff’s salary up to level. But I repeat this is only for ten months, after that time your salary will reduce to rate that the COLA and stimulus brings the present salary rate.
Questions: For clarification from several of the members.
Ms Allen answers all questions.
Joanna adds “All information will be available online at our website Http//NJ.AFT.org/PECFT”
Joanna continues “the AFT will also offer training for anyone interested in being on the negotiation committee.”
Ms Allen moves on to address the new What to do book.
“I have a lot of problems with many of the things in this book. Please read the book there are many things in the book that have not been agency policy. So we will definitely be speaking on this in the near future.
President Allen went on to share that Ms Blackmon plans to change Head start personal days, sick and vacation days to match the abbot policies.
Joanna interjects “Ms Blackmon may like and want to establish abbot policies in Head Start but she can’t without negotiation.
Ms Nicky “Will when we get Abbott money then she can talk about changing things the abbot way.”
Ms Allen “Ms Blackmon has instructed her managers to write up everyone for every indiscretion. Please be careful follow procedures and directives.”
Joanna reminds membership about their to have a union representative present during all disciplinary meetings as stated in the contract Article 8, section C.
Joanna also shares information about grievances vs. gripes and dues allocation.
Question-Victoria Dolson “How is comp time suppose to work?”
Ms Allen answers reading from the contract Article 11.
Question-Nicole “Why do I have to take Head Start rates of pay when I work the summer program?”
Ms Allen reminds the member that summer program is funded through Head Start monies not Abbott. Therefore anyone working the summer is subject to Head Start rates.
Ms Allen also shares “Ms Blackmon is not allowing Abbott staff to work the summer program unless there is a shortage of head start staff willing to work. And if you remember at the in-service training Ms Blackmon said she would draft staff if none volunteer from the Head Start pool.
Ms Allen closes the meeting about 8:30p.m.