We’ve added a new section in the Forums for our Trinity County members where they can discuss bargaining issues. If you are interested in these, simply visit the forums and join in!
All members of the site are able to subscribe to our articles and include them in their own RSS feeds! This means that if your web browser or mail application supports RSS, you can have our content delivered directly to you instead of having to visit our site to find out what’s going on!
To access our feed, use this link and add it to your aggregator (browser or mail application) as a custom Feed URL: feed://www.upec792.org/index.php/site/rss_2.0/
Some examples of this: you use a custom Google page as your start page and you want to include the UPEC content in a block on that page…
All you need to do is copy the URL and add it in a new block on your own page.
If you use an RSS capable browser like Safari, Flock, Firefox and Explorer, follow the instructions in the help file for your browser on how you can subscribe. Generally, to view the feed, look in the address bar for an icon that says “RSS” or a little square orange icon that you can click on. Either of these will take you to a page containing article information that you can subscribe to by following your browser’s directions.
Some mail applications - like mac mail allow you to easily add an RSS feed and our articles will appear in your mailbox automatically as soon as they are added. I’ll post directions soon for some of the major mail applications, and until then you can find instructions in your mail “help” menu under RSS.
WILLOWS - After nearly two and a half years, what UPEC believed amounted to discrimination against an employee of the Glenn Superior Court, a determination has finally been made by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). In a determination letter issued last week, the EEOC found that based upon the evidence, there is reasonalble cause to believe that the Respondent, Glenn County Superior Court discriminated against the Charging Party, Norma Raygoza, based on her national origin, Hispanic. UPEC Business Manager Chris Darker filed a grievance in April 2005 against the Court for not promoting Raygoza in the same manner and time frame as non-hispanic employees.
In fact, employees less qualified than Raygoza were being promoted over her. After exhausting the grievance procedure and being denied a hearing, the union decided to recommend the case to the EEOC.
“I can’t help but have mixed emotions when I read this determination letter, said Darker. On one hand you are glad that the determination proved we were right while on the other we are saddened it proved we were right. I am angry about this whole situation and that those appointed in positions of trust and leadership allow racial discrimination and bigotry to exist in their command.”
Raygoza was recently promoted a few months ago to the position the union argued she should have had in 2005. Norma Raygoza is please with the EEOC determination and is looking forward to the conciliation process.
San Francisco - Negotiations for the first contract for 178 Presidio Trust employees continued today in San Francisco. Business Manager Chris Darker and Senior Labor Representative Steve Allen met with management for the first time since Presidio employees were transfered in to Local 792 in July 2007 from LIUNA Local 36. LIUNA PED Director Robert Purcell led the negotiations on Wednesday and Thursday. Both the Union and Management stated a contract by the end of this year could be possible. Presidio employees have been working without a contract since 1999 and negotiations stalled in early 2006. Darker is optimistic a deal could be negotiated but stated job security is an important issue that needs to be worked out in these negotiations. “These are the only unionized federal employees who are “at will employees”, and that is just unacceptable”, stated Darker following today’s session. The team plans to meet next week to continue negotiations.
Redding - From time to time UPEC receives information on available employment in Union jobs. In an effort to assist Unions meet their demand for labor, UPEC Business Manager Chris Darker is announcing that the AWIU has a need for insulators. Applicants must have a high school diploma/GED, a passing grade in algebra and be willing to travel. For additional information, call Mel Breshears at 415-205-0612.
Alturas - UPEC members at the Modoc Medical Center unanimously ratified their contract last Friday.