NEIU A&P Council
20141105 Minutes
Present:
Absent:
Guests:
J Alexander, M Genao-Homs, K Gleiss, L Moreno, T Tobin
D Lawson, MR Lamadrid-Quevedo
E Larrimore (AFSCME), S Mihic (UPI), D Queen (AFSCME)
Educational leave application
L Moreno: Please send educational leave review documents back to D Lawson by 10 Nov 2014.
A&P Web Site
L Moreno: Please send bio and picture to MR Lamadrid-Quevedo if you have not done so. She will
update our web site soon.
History of UPI and AFSCME at NEIU, opportunities for collaboration with A&P
S Mihic: I have already worked closely with members of the A&P Council and AFSCME: K Gleiss was
once part of the University Professionals of Illinois (UPI), and E Larrimore was a grad student of mine.
The UPI collaborates with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
(AFSCME) and with A&P Council, but some of that must necessarily make way when negotiations are
under way.
D Queen: Civil service employees are (mostly) in AFSCME. A&P staffers are governed by the NEIU
Board of Trustees rules and regulations.
S Mihic: All tenure-line, instructors, Administrative Service Personnel (ASPs), tenure-line librarians, and
some non-tenure-line librarians are represented by the UPI. The work of the UPI is protect the rights of
members, facilitate professionalism, and work for good student outcomes. One thing that UPI does is to
put weight behind communications (such as Targeted Announcements), so that faculty members pay
special attention to them.
S Mihic: There was a question about whether A&P employees could join UPI or AFSCME. Such
agreements would need to be certified by a majority of employees classified as A&P. For UPI, the core
question is what percentage of the job is supervisory. If it’s none or a low number, then that position could
join the UPI. We mostly use a shorthand and go by the job title. The law is to go by the actual work you’re
doing, though.
E Larrimore: For example, library operations associates (LOAs) all signed cards with AFSCME, since
supervision was not part of their primary job duties. We’ve brought many civil service titles into AFSCME:
all clerical work, some information technology, groundskeeping, police dispatch, financial aid workers,
science lab managers.
T Tobin: How can A&P Council advocate for our constituency and collaborate with UPI and AFSCME?
S Mihic: A&P employees could petition the AFL/CIO to become unionized. Also, A&P members could
show support on their own time for efforts undertaken by UPI and AFSCME. For instance, there will be a
sit-in on 11 Nov 2014 against cancellation of classes.
L Moreno: How can that support flow in the opposite direction, too? Few faculty members attend A&P
programming, even when it is directly intended for faculty benefit.
S Mihic: I have to acknowledge tension between the growing body of administrative staff and the faculty.
If I want turnout, I e-mail people personally. I also reach out to 5 faculty members with the request to bring
friends. Organizing one-on-one is the way we do it for events.
M Genao-Homs: I am surprised that faculty members seem not to reply or engage with professionaldevelopment programming on this campus.
S Mihic: NEIU is a different culture than previous institutions where you worked, and you have to learn it.
Instead of a confrontational tone, adopt “this is cool, could you help?” People don’t go to “lack.”
D Queen: One thing to do is to research the Board of Trustees rules and regulations carefully. Some
AFSCME reps are pretty conversant with them, and you should all be, too.
S Mihic: One other way to increase collaboration is to invite A&P Council members to the next
convenient UPI meeting to make the connection.
K Gleiss: Do A&P staff have shared-governance representation?
E Larrimore: I’d suggest holding regular meetings to discuss governance and the role of the A&P Council
and membership in it.
D Queen: Make events fun. AFSCME members got a signing bonus added to base salary where nonunion members didn’t. We also negotiate insurance for AFSCME and the UPI, and fight for retiree
benefits.
L Moreno: Thanks to our guests for being here and taking time to reach out.
Old Business
J Alexander: Perhaps we can look at other A&P structures around the state.
K Gleiss: I will review the Board of Trustees rules and regulations; we should educate our constituents
about what’s in there. I will also pursue the sick-bank process: perhaps invite HR to the next meeting?
T Tobin: I will follow up with HR and L Pezzarossi regarding the respectful-workplace initiative.
L Moreno: I will follow up with our representatives to various committees to get reports. Also, we will look
at the possibility of making A&P Council terms extend to 3 years, to help with continuity of major projects.
Next A&P Meeting
L Moreno: Mark your calendars for 3 Dec 2014 at 1:00 pm, location TBD
J Alexander: Perhaps hold it at the new El Centro or at CCAS.
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