September 1999 NASA Newsletter

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Latest Newsletter Back Issues July 1999 June 1999 April 1999 March 1999 WHAT'S NEW? REP'S COUNCIL STEWARD'S CORNER ABOUT NASA TRUST TOPICS UNION COMMITTEES AND REPORTS SOLIDARITY! SITE INDEX CONTACT US Last updated: 03/18/01	NASA September 1999 Preparing for Negotiations It may surprise you, but it’s time to prepare for Negotiations. The current contract covering Trust and Operating employees expires March 31, 2000. What does that mean to NASA members? In October 6, 1999, a general meeting will be held to provide all members an opportunity to propose improvements and changes to your current conditions of employment. These proposals may be changes to the contract, or new items that are not currently addressed. Some issues have already been identified by the members and provided to the NASA office. The grievance committee, stewards, and staff will also propose issues that have arisen during the life of this contract. These will be provided to the members for their consideration at this meeting. A discussion will be held to identify the proposed direction of negotiations and key issues. The negotiating committee will also be elected at this meeting. (The role and expectations of the negotiating committee have been included in this mail-out.) Four members and alternates are needed for the committee. We hope that operating and trust employees from across campus will be interested in being members of this committee. Once the proposals are gathered, the negotiating team will review them and create a package of issues for the members to review. This process will include consultation with the 1999 Focus Group. An information meeting will be called to report the details of the proposed package to the members. The Focus Group will be re-established at the October 6^th meeting. The terms of reference of this committee are provided in this package. Any member can be a participant and take a more active role in promoting communications at the worksite regarding the progress of bargaining. We welcome your participation. How do NASA members get involved? Attend the general meetings. If you are unable to attend the October 6^th meeting, see your Union Steward, e-mail your input to NASA at nasa@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca or call the NASA office @ 439-3181 and ask for an LRO. Become a Union Steward for your area. If you do not have one in your area, contact Effie Woloshyn, Chief Steward, at 492-8942 or by e-mail at effie.woloshyn@ualberta.ca or Nancy at the NASA office, to set up an election. Join the Focus group by contacting Barbara at NASA office. Why get involved? It’s your contract! SECOND NOTICE General Meeting Topic: Negotiations Wednesday, October 6, 1999, 4:45 p.m. 2022 Dentistry/Pharmacy Inside this newsletter is all the information you will need for the October 6^th meeting. Please take time to read the material. Remember, YOU are the "U" in Union, so mark your calendars and plan to attend! Dates to Remember *Noon Hour General Meetings* October 27, 1999 – Topic: Dues Structure November 24, 1999 – Topic: NASA Office Restructuring Please note: Due to room scheduling changes, these meetings will not be held in the locations noted in the last mailout. Watch for new room announcements in the next mailout. Bylaw Change Proposals Proposals for bylaw changes must be received by the Executive Secretary no later than 30 days prior to the general meeting date. For the upcoming meetings, the deadlines are: September 27, 1999 October 25, 1999 NOTICE In order to assist the members and Executive in completing the work of the Union, the NASA executive have adopted the following procedural changes in the conduct of NASA business. MINUTES Where there are errors or changes noted by the members of NASA in general meeting minutes, we ask the members to contact the executive administrative assistant of NASA (439-3181) or the Secretary of NASA at betty.anne.jansen@ualberta.ca prior to the next general meeting. This will enable the secretary to make the necessary changes or review the tapes of the meeting to confirm the concerns raised regarding the draft minutes. The goal of this procedure is to minimize the time taken at general meetings reviewing the minutes. RECONVENED MEETINGS Not all general meetings will be reconvened. The executive will call a reconvened meeting on a case-by-case basis depending upon the outstanding business of the meeting. OUTSTANDING ITEMS OF BUSINESS Each agenda will include a notice to members regarding the disposition of agenda items that are not dealt with during the meeting. For example, committee appointments may be directed to reps council or the executive for consideration. Referrals and decision-making will continue to be made in compliance with the bylaws. October 6, 1999 General Meeting Agenda Introductions Approval of Agenda Negotiations Review of Members’ Proposals Election of Negotiating Team Establishment of Focus Group 1999 Elections Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Human Resource Services Committee (one member) Approval of Minutes: June 16, 1998 October 28, 1998 May 12, 1999 June 8, 1999 Reports Treasurer’s Report (included in mailout for information) Business Arising New Business Adjournment In accordance with the above notice regarding changed procedures, please note that this meeting will not be reconvened in the event quorum is not attained or is lost during the meeting. Business that remains outstanding will be dealt with as follows: Item 3.1 will be referred to another general meeting Item 3.2 will be referred to the October 27^th meeting Item 3.3 will be referred to the Stewards Committee Item 4.1 will be referred to Reps Council Item 4.2 will be referred to the November 24^th meeting Items 5.1 – 5.4 will be referred to another general meeting. Election Information To assist members interested in running for the elected positions to be filled at the October meeting, the following provides general information with respect to the duties and responsibilities of the position or committees. *** * * A Word from the Chief Electoral Officer** Thank you for allowing me to participate by providing my service to NASA as CEO these past two years. Should any members out there be looking for a way to contribute to the common good of our organization, I would heartily suggest standing for this position. All that’s required is a strong personal integrity, a desire to see the democratic process prevail, and a very small portion of your time. I would especially recommend this position for new members, or for someone who wishes to start slowly in their service with NASA. Thank you to all the members who assisted in the ballot counting at meetings, and all those whose input has helped shape our election strategy for the coming millennium. Tim Southernwood * * * Chief Electoral Officer For the purpose of running the elections of voting officers of the Executive, NASA will select, at its October General meeting, a Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). The CEO shall be responsible for calling the election and conducting it in accordance with the Association’s bylaws and any policies adopted by the membership. To carry out responsibilities of the position, the CEO may appoint an Election Committee to assist him/her. Members of the committee shall be empowered by the CEO to act on his/her behalf. The term of office for the CEO shall normally be for one calendar year (until a new CEO is selected). In the event that the position of CEO is not filled by the membership, the Reps Council shall be required to fill that vacancy to complete the term of office under election procedures established by Council. The CEO shall report directly to the AGM and is responsible to that body. The CEO shall chair that portion of the AGM concerning the election process. The CEO may also, in the course of his/her term, consider policies and procedures that may improve our election procedures and present such recommendations to the membership for approval. The CEO cannot run for any elected Executive position while serving in office. The CEO shall only be responsible for the regular, annual elections of the officers of the Executive that are held in conjunction with the AGM. Elections to fill any other vacancies on the Executive shall remain the responsibility of Reps Council following NASA Bylaws. Council shall elect its own Officers according to those same Bylaws and recognized Council regulations. Human Resources Committee The following is an excerpt from the Human Resources Policy NASA shall establish a permanent Standing Committee, the Human Resources Committee, to: assist the manager, evaluate annual reviews of staff performance, and address grievances raised by non-managerial employees. The Committee shall be composed of seven (7) members inclusive of the President as the chair. Two members shall be elected by the Executive, two members from Reps council and two members from the general membership. The Committee shall be responsible for the selection process for the manager and shall make its recommendations for approval to a general meeting. As a budgetary item, prior to the creation of any new staff positions, the committee shall present such a recommendation to a general meeting for approval. The Committee and manager shall agree on the selection process for all other employees of the Association. The Committee shall be consulted on all other significant human resources questions by the manager. The Committee shall report on an annual basis to the General Meeting, the Executive, and Reps Council. Negotiating Team Selection Process The NASA Negotiating Team shall normally be elected from the membership through individual nominations from the floor. If more than the required number are nominated and accept, a secret ballot will be carried out to select the final Team. Such nominations and any vote shall be at a general meeting and shall be carried out following approval of our formal bargaining position. * * * The Negotiating Team: Its Role This committee is the legally authorized committee empowered to negotiate and conclude a contract on behalf of all NASA dues payers. The committee works in consultation with various groups on campus including the Focus Group, stewards, and individual members to determine the direction of the members on issues as they arise during the negotiation process. Team Member Assets dedication to advancing the welfare of the non-academic staff of the University of Alberta; a working knowledge of \ University practices and their impact on the workers; a willingness to communicate with the members and become knowledgeable about unfamiliar work practices and work areas. Requirements NASA membership Please note: Team members will be away from work an average of two – three days per week from December 1999 to May 2000 (this does not include the Christmas holiday period) or longer. Time away for the purpose of negotiations is paid by the University and no pay is lost. Meeting with the members and committees is extra time dedicated to the membership. Purpose and Function of the Focus Group The Focus Group: provides advice to the Negotiating Team as required by the Team or at the decision of the Group; elects alternates to serve on the Negotiating Team when needed; reviews and recommends proposals on NASA’s bargaining "public relations" and "membership information" strategies, in consultation with the Executive. The Group shall meet as required, and elect a chairperson from among its own members to coordinate its activities and run meetings. The Group shall be seen as an enlarged Bargaining Committee and will include the elected Negotiating Team (as voting members). Provisions for time-off for union business will be applied as needed for Group members. The Negotiating Team shall present any final offer or decision to recommend seeking arbitration to the Group for its opinions before they initial or endorse such a move on behalf of NASA. The Negotiating Team is also encouraged to consult the Group on other important issues. The Group shall be responsible for planning membership communication during negotiations and the membership vote on any recommendations of the Negotiating Team in coordination with the NASA office and the Executive.

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Last updated: 03/18/01

NASA

September 1999

Preparing for Negotiations

It may surprise you, but it’s time to prepare for Negotiations. The current contract covering Trust and Operating employees expires March 31, 2000.

What does that mean to NASA members?

In October 6, 1999, a general meeting will be held to provide all members an opportunity to propose improvements and changes to your current conditions of employment. These proposals may be changes to the contract, or new items that are not currently addressed. Some issues have already been identified by the members and provided to the NASA office. The grievance committee, stewards, and staff will also propose issues that have arisen during the life of this contract. These will be provided to the members for their consideration at this meeting. A discussion will be held to identify the proposed direction of negotiations and key issues.

The negotiating committee will also be elected at this meeting. (The role and expectations of the negotiating committee have been included in this mail-out.) Four members and alternates are needed for the committee. We hope that operating and trust employees from across campus will be interested in being members of this committee.

Once the proposals are gathered, the negotiating team will review them and create a package of issues for the members to review. This process will include consultation with the 1999 Focus Group. An information meeting will be called to report the details of the proposed package to the members.

The Focus Group will be re-established at the October 6^th meeting. The terms of reference of this committee are provided in this package. Any member can be a participant and take a more active role in promoting communications at the worksite regarding the progress of bargaining. We welcome your participation.

How do NASA members get involved?

Attend the general meetings. If you are unable to attend the October 6^th meeting, see your Union Steward, e-mail your input to NASA at nasa@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca or call the NASA office @ 439-3181 and ask for an LRO.

Become a Union Steward for your area. If you do not have one in your area, contact Effie Woloshyn, Chief Steward, at 492-8942 or by e-mail at effie.woloshyn@ualberta.ca or Nancy at the NASA office, to set up an election.
Join the Focus group by contacting Barbara at NASA office.

Why get involved? It’s your contract!

SECOND NOTICE

General Meeting
Topic: Negotiations

Wednesday, October 6, 1999, 4:45 p.m.
2022 Dentistry/Pharmacy

Inside this newsletter is all the information you will need for the October 6^th meeting. Please take time to read the material.

Remember, YOU are the "U" in Union, so mark your calendars and plan to attend!

Dates to Remember

Noon Hour General Meetings

October 27, 1999 – Topic: Dues Structure

November 24, 1999 – Topic: NASA Office Restructuring

Please note: Due to room scheduling changes, these meetings will not be held in the locations noted in the last mailout. Watch for new room announcements in the next mailout.

Bylaw Change Proposals

Proposals for bylaw changes must be received by the Executive Secretary no later than 30 days prior to the general meeting date. For the upcoming meetings, the deadlines are:

September 27, 1999
October 25, 1999

NOTICE

In order to assist the members and Executive in completing the work of the Union, the NASA executive have adopted the following procedural changes in the conduct of NASA business.

MINUTES

Where there are errors or changes noted by the members of NASA in general meeting minutes, we ask the members to contact the executive administrative assistant of NASA (439-3181) or the Secretary of NASA at betty.anne.jansen@ualberta.ca prior to the next general meeting. This will enable the secretary to make the necessary changes or review the tapes of the meeting to confirm the concerns raised regarding the draft minutes. The goal of this procedure is to minimize the time taken at general meetings reviewing the minutes.

RECONVENED MEETINGS

Not all general meetings will be reconvened. The executive will call a reconvened meeting on a case-by-case basis depending upon the outstanding business of the meeting.

OUTSTANDING ITEMS OF BUSINESS

Each agenda will include a notice to members regarding the disposition of agenda items that are not dealt with during the meeting. For example, committee appointments may be directed to reps council or the executive for consideration. Referrals and decision-making will continue to be made in compliance with the bylaws.

October 6, 1999

General Meeting Agenda

Introductions
Approval of Agenda
Negotiations

Review of Members’ Proposals
Election of Negotiating Team
Establishment of Focus Group 1999

Elections

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)
Human Resource Services Committee (one member)

Approval of Minutes:

June 16, 1998
October 28, 1998
May 12, 1999
June 8, 1999

Reports

Treasurer’s Report (included in mailout for information)

Business Arising
New Business
Adjournment

In accordance with the above notice regarding changed procedures, please note that this meeting will not be reconvened in the event quorum is not attained or is lost during the meeting. Business that remains outstanding will be dealt with as follows:

Item 3.1 will be referred to another general meeting

Item 3.2 will be referred to the October 27^th meeting

Item 3.3 will be referred to the Stewards Committee

Item 4.1 will be referred to Reps Council

Item 4.2 will be referred to the November 24^th meeting

Items 5.1 – 5.4 will be referred to another general meeting.

Election Information

To assist members interested in running for the elected positions to be filled at the October meeting, the following provides general information with respect to the duties and responsibilities of the position or committees.

* * *

A Word from the Chief Electoral Officer

Thank you for allowing me to participate by providing my service to NASA as CEO these past two years. Should any members out there be looking for a way to contribute to the common good of our organization, I would heartily suggest standing for this position.

All that’s required is a strong personal integrity, a desire to see the democratic process prevail, and a very small portion of your time.

I would especially recommend this position for new members, or for someone who wishes to start slowly in their service with NASA.

Thank you to all the members who assisted in the ballot counting at meetings, and all those whose input has helped shape our election strategy for the coming millennium.

Tim Southernwood

* * *

Chief Electoral Officer

For the purpose of running the elections of voting officers of the Executive, NASA will select, at its October General meeting, a Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).

The CEO shall be responsible for calling the election and conducting it in accordance with the Association’s bylaws and any policies adopted by the membership.

To carry out responsibilities of the position, the CEO may appoint an Election Committee to assist him/her. Members of the committee shall be empowered by the CEO to act on his/her behalf.

The term of office for the CEO shall normally be for one calendar year (until a new CEO is selected). In the event that the position of CEO is not filled by the membership, the Reps Council shall be required to fill that vacancy to complete the term of office under election procedures established by Council.

The CEO shall report directly to the AGM and is responsible to that body. The CEO shall chair that portion of the AGM concerning the election process.
The CEO may also, in the course of his/her term, consider policies and procedures that may improve our election procedures and present such recommendations to the membership for approval.
The CEO cannot run for any elected Executive position while serving in office.
The CEO shall only be responsible for the regular, annual elections of the officers of the Executive that are held in conjunction with the AGM. Elections to fill any other vacancies on the Executive shall remain the responsibility of Reps Council following NASA Bylaws. Council shall elect its own Officers according to those same Bylaws and recognized Council regulations.

Human Resources Committee

The following is an excerpt from the Human Resources Policy

NASA shall establish a permanent Standing Committee, the Human Resources Committee, to: assist the manager, evaluate annual reviews of staff performance, and address grievances raised by non-managerial employees. The Committee shall be composed of seven (7) members inclusive of the President as the chair. Two members shall be elected by the Executive, two members from Reps council and two members from the general membership.

The Committee shall be responsible for the selection process for the manager and shall make its recommendations for approval to a general meeting.

As a budgetary item, prior to the creation of any new staff positions, the committee shall present such a recommendation to a general meeting for approval.

The Committee and manager shall agree on the selection process for all other employees of the Association.

The Committee shall be consulted on all other significant human resources questions by the manager.

The Committee shall report on an annual basis to the General Meeting, the Executive, and Reps Council.

Negotiating Team Selection Process

The NASA Negotiating Team shall normally be elected from the membership through individual nominations from the floor.

If more than the required number are nominated and accept, a secret ballot will be carried out to select the final Team.

Such nominations and any vote shall be at a general meeting and shall be carried out following approval of our formal bargaining position.

* * *

The Negotiating Team: Its Role

This committee is the legally authorized committee empowered to negotiate and conclude a contract on behalf of all NASA dues payers. The committee works in consultation with various groups on campus including the Focus Group, stewards, and individual members to determine the direction of the members on issues as they arise during the negotiation process.

Team Member Assets

dedication to advancing the welfare of the non-academic staff of the University of Alberta;
a working knowledge of \ University practices and their impact on the workers;
a willingness to communicate with the members and become knowledgeable about unfamiliar work practices and work areas.

Requirements

NASA membership

Please note:

Team members will be away from work an average of two – three days per week from December 1999 to May 2000 (this does not include the Christmas holiday period) or longer. Time away for the purpose of negotiations is paid by the University and no pay is lost. Meeting with the members and committees is extra time dedicated to the membership.

Purpose and Function of the Focus Group

The Focus Group:

provides advice to the Negotiating Team as required by the Team or at the decision of the Group;
elects alternates to serve on the Negotiating Team when needed;
reviews and recommends proposals on NASA’s bargaining "public relations" and "membership information" strategies, in consultation with the Executive.

The Group shall meet as required, and elect a chairperson from among its own members to coordinate its activities and run meetings.

The Group shall be seen as an enlarged Bargaining Committee and will include the elected Negotiating Team (as voting members). Provisions for time-off for union business will be applied as needed for Group members.

The Negotiating Team shall present any final offer or decision to recommend seeking arbitration to the Group for its opinions before they initial or endorse such a move on behalf of NASA. The Negotiating Team is also encouraged to consult the Group on other important issues.

The Group shall be responsible for planning membership communication during negotiations and the membership vote on any recommendations of the Negotiating Team in coordination with the NASA office and the Executive.

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