Family Medical Leave Act Tips

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Are your absences for sick leave being referred to in your evaluation?  If you used leave that was qualifying leave under the FMLA/CFRA you should be aware that the law prohibits an employer from withholding a benefit or privilege to you because you’ve taken FMLA leave, and also prohibits an employer from giving you a poor evaluation or denying you (or delaying) a promotion for having taken protected leave.  Specifically, the following are illegal behaviors for employers:  Assigning make-up hours, Reducing Overtime Opportunities, Assigning More Difficult Tasks, Denying Promotions, Issuing Negative Evaluations, and Lectures or Warnings about Improving Attendance (to name just a few).  In California, the California Family Rights Act (and claims of violations of FMLA) are handled by the Department of Fair Employment and Housing.  If you have questions or suspect a violation of any of the above rules contained within FMLA and CFRA contact the union for assistance with your issue.

Academic Discount for Union Members

Friday, April 11, 2008

Anne Palmer-Martin of Huntington Learning Center has agreed to give Local 792 Union members an 8% discount on services for individual testing and tutoring in reading, study skills, writing, phonics, and spelling, math, and SAT/ACT preparations.  Additionally throughout the month of April, Ms. Palmer-Martin has committed to give members a $100.00 scholarship to be used towards a diagnostic evaluation; however this scholarship offer does expire April 30th.  For additional information, contact Ms. Palmer-Martin at (530) 221-1415, 940 A/B Hilltop Drive, Redding, CA 96002, or visit http://www.huntingtonlearning.com for additional information about Huntington Learning Center’s services.

Local PERKS Cards

Headquarters - UPEC Local 792 is another step closer to obtaining the local member discount cards. The Union decided on Kelly Press to print the 3,500 cards for local 792 members. Business Manager Chris Darker researched this benefit last summer following a meeting at LIUNA Headquarters. The UPEC Executive Board embraced the idea and decided to fund this member discount program in late 2007. The card will be issued to Active and Retired UPEC Local 792 members at no additional cost. “I think the members are going to like the benefits of this program and find the card very useful,” said Darker.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Thursday, April 03, 2008

by:  Christine Perry - UPEC Staff

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.  These tips might be useful.  Also April 5th is the “WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES” sponsored by the Women’s Refuge.  All persons, families are invited to walk, great opportunity to wear our shirts in support of this event.

A few tips for ladies: 

A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:

1).  The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle.  They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid or other hairstyle that can be easily grabbed.  They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair.  Women with short hair are not common targets.

2).  The second thing men look for is clothing.  They will look for women who’s clothing is easy to remove quickly.  Many of them carry scissors around specifically to cut clothing.

3).  They also look for women on their cell phone, searching through their purse, or doing activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered.

4).  Men are most likely to attack and rape in the early morning, between 5:00 a.m. And 8:30 a.m.

5).  The number one place women are abducted from/attacked is grocery store parking lots.  Number two is office parking lots/garages.  Number three is public restrooms.

6).  The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to another location where they don’t have to worry about getting caught.

7).  Only 2% said they carried weapons because rape carries a 3-5 year sentence but rape with a weapon is 15-20 years.

8).  If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t worth it because it will be time-consuming.

9).  These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas, or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.
Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon.  So, the idea is to convince these guys you’re not worth it.

10).  Several defense mechanisms include:  If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk:  “I can’t believe it is so cold out here”, “We’re in for a bad winter.” Now you’ve seen their face and could identify them in a line-up; you lose appeal as a target.

11).  If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell STOP or STAY BACK!  Most of the rapists interviewed said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back.  Again, they are looking for an EASY target.

12).  If you carry pepper spray, yell I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.

13).  If someone grabs you, you can’t beat them with strength but you can by outsmarting them.  If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm (between the elbow and armpit) OR in the upper inner thigh VERY VERY HARD.  Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it hurts.

14).  After the initial hit, always GO for the GROIN.

15).  When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible!

16).  Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with your instincts!!!!

Again, being aware that crimes do happen all the time has already decreased your chances of being a victim by 50%.  Now that you are aware, the rest is up to you.  Whether you take a self defense course (ideally) or equip yourself with stun guns or pepper spray is up to you.  Crime happens whether you are ready or not.  So when it happens, you must be ready.  Do not wait; your safety is priceless!

Trinity Units Negotiate Contract Extension

The Trinity County Miscellaneous Peace Officer bargaining unit and the Trinity County Deputy Sheriffs Association bargaining unit have reached an agreement with the County to extend their respective labor agreements for three years in return for Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA’s) and a revised retiree medical formula.

The deal allows the County to delay its retiree medical contribution so that an employee must work 10 years with the County before becoming eligible for the County’s retiree medical contribution, which is then gradually increased until the full contribution is reached at 20 years of County service.  The new formula applies to employees hired after January 1, 2008 and replaces the current formula whereby an employee receives the full County retiree medical contribution regardless of length of service with the County.  For example, under the grandfathered system that will now slowly be replaced, an employee who worked 20 years in Shasta County can take a job at Trinity County, work 6 months and then take a PERS retirement with Trinity County responsible for paying its full retiree medical contribution.

In return. the Units received a 2% COLA in January 2009, 2% in January 2010 and 4% in January 2011.

POA President Hal Ridelhuber and DSA President Eric Palmer are to be congratulated on their foresight in negotiating an agreement that provides COLA’s and benefit guarantees for an additional 3 years during this time of economic uncertainty.  Good work!

SRMCRN NEGOTIATIONS

Friday, March 28, 2008

The Registered Nurses from Shasta Regional Medical Center will begin negotiations with the hospital on April 10, 2008 at 0800 hours. Negotiation times have been set for three to five days a week over the next two months.

A meeting of the SRMCRN bargaining team is set for April 3, 2008 at 0900 hours at the Union office.

The following R.N.’s have volunteered for your bargaining team: Debra Belstad, Lee Sutter, Tina Eslinger, Robyn Nickels, and Mike Lyon, staff negotiator. I believe that a nurse from the Emergency Room has also volunteered and I am awaiting her name. If the Union members from the hospital have any questions they can reached Mike Lyon at 245 1890 extension 107.