Greetings AAUP Members!
This spring I was elected to this position and one of my inaugural tasks was to organize our “spring membership drive” around the “Sick Leave Bank.” As many of you know, this is a benefit for which we fought hard at the bargaining table and believe is critical to maintain in years moving forward. There was a bit of a bumpy roll out of this new benefit, but thanks to the coordinated efforts of our members, PSU-AAUP leadership, Unit Representatives, Vice Provost Shelly Shabon and staff from Human Resources, we have begun to address some of the problems associated with the roll out. We are confident that we can maintain this terrific benefit and work to revise some of the infrastructure around it so that it operates more seamlessly in the near future.
PSU-AAUP hosted several meetings concerning the sick leave bank, two of which were “informational sessions” with our members and representatives from PSU administration. Dozens of members showed up this past week to ask questions of Human Resources and the administration, seeking clarity about how the program works and identifying the many serious flaws associated with the structures of donating to the bank. We heard many voices of frustration with how the program was rolled out, suggestions about how to improve the model, as well as many testimonials speaking to how important this benefit is. It was very clear in these informational sessions that Shelly Shabon and HR were listening. Soon, PSU-AAUP leadership and the administration will meet to renegotiate how PSU-AAUP members will donate to the bank and how HR will manage this benefit. Topics on the table include: the provision of an electronic form to enroll, a universal “opt out” model, the ability to donate more hours, a rule that if you contribute once you will remain in the the bank through the end of the year regardless of “special calls,” and more clarity about eligibility for the bank, and an easier way to keep track of your contributions.
Additionally, a great result of this spring drive was membership participation. We know that a significant percentage of our members “re-enrolled’ in the sick bank this spring, contributing an additional three hours each to the bank. Thank you!
As you know, this is a member driver union and you all asked that members have access to paid sick leave in case they faced any needs that might arise under the provisions of FMLA, OFLA and criteria covered under PSU’s guidelines regarding the eligibility for sick leave. The sick leave bank provides up to 60 days of pay for members in need. So thank you for your patience and for participating in the spring drive. If you have any questions, be sure to be in touch with us.
Have a great rest of the spring term.