Monthly Archives: May 2021
Union Update: New Town Hall Added and Webpage Updates
ShareFriday, May 28, 2021
A Message From Amy Bosley, Vice President, Organizational Development and Human Resources
As we head into the Memorial Day holiday weekend, I want to provide you with some important information regarding the current union election process. You may have already received, or will soon receive, a mail packet from the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) so you can mail in your vote in the current election, which will help determine whether Service Employees International Union (SEIU) becomes your exclusive, third-party representative to the College. If you have not yet received your ballot from PERC, contact them directly at 850-488-8641.
As we navigate this election process, we continue to receive expressions of concern from colleagues that SEIU is inundating you with information that is both factually inaccurate and attempts to create the false impression that this election is based on an adversarial model of “us versus you.” Though some of our part-time faculty and instructors are engaged with the SEIU in organizing efforts, we are clear that this election is about a third party seeking to stand between us and our colleagues, placing us in a position to negotiate rather than collaborate. We have accomplished so much for our students and for our colleagues through this collegial, open and collaborative approach to our work. We look forward to continued partnership in service of you and our students.
In its most recent email to you, SEIU states that the College has removed paid sick leave or that the pandemic has led to layoffs. Here are the facts:
- Contrary to what SEIU wants you to believe, Valencia College has not taken away paid sick leave for any employees. In fact, paid sick leave is currently available to you should you have COVID-19, display symptoms related to COVID-19 or live with someone who has COVID-19.
- No layoffs or furloughs have occurred at the College for any employees, in any area.
Our goal in this election process is to ensure that all parties follow the state-run process, and that you, and all of our part-time faculty and instructors, have access to factual information on which to base your vote. We have compiled comprehensive resources to help you consider the implications of third-party representation.
With this in mind, and based directly on your feedback, we have expanded our side-by-side comparison of the current terms of employment at Valencia to those found in the collectively bargained agreements at multiple other Florida colleges where part-time faculty and instructors are currently represented by SEIU. Click on the button below to view the comparison chart.
In this comparison chart, and in the respective collective bargaining agreements themselves, you will see that SEIU was unable to deliver on many of its union campaign promises. You will also see that Valencia offers many benefits and comparable wages to those of employees currently represented by SEIU. Our track record of collaborating directly with our part-time faculty and part-time instructors leads to better outcomes, and we hope to be able to continue working directly with you to understand and improve your employment experience.
Your thoughtful inquiry is critical to this election process, and we value any and every opportunity to hear feedback directly from you about your employment experience at Valencia and any questions you may have as you consider third-party representation.
In our efforts to ensure you have many opportunities to get your questions answered, we have added another union election town hall on Thursday, June 3, 2021. We invite you to join us for one or more town halls to ensure your questions are answered as you prepare to vote.
Date: Thursday, June 3, 2021
Time: 3 – 4 p.m.
Location: Zoom
Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Time: 1 – 2 p.m.
Location: Zoom
Ultimately, we want you to be informed as a voter and know that through voting your voice can be heard in this process. As you consider third-party representation, we encourage you to cast your vote by carefully following the instructions on the ballot and placing the completed package in the mail to ensure it is received by PERC on or before 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. We also ask that you consider the implications of choosing NOT to vote, as a simple majority of ballots cast will decide the outcome of this election.
As always, please feel free to contact me directly at abosley@valenciacollege.edu with any questions related to this process.