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I saw the Board Meeting on TV and was shocked to hear Mr. Hawthorne thank the people and students for speaking
because it reminded the Board that we are not just a number. When I heard that I was very disappointed. These Board
Members need to be reminded that they were elected to represent the people. Since the Board made the decision to
employees in eyes as a reminder that they are not just a number instead of having HR and the Unions do their dirty work.

Your anger about the current situation is understandable. We are all upset and angry. It is hoped that Mr Hawthorne and the
rest of the Board are completely informed and tuned in to every part of the process. Their vote on breaking our contract
makes us wonder. If the affected people keep coming to the Board with their stories, then they will not be just numbers.
It is our mission to make it hard to lay off our people.

i just read past letters sent to the union. one was asking if we would go by school site or hire date. the answer to this was
that the president feels that it is a good idea to go by school site. i feel that this is the worst idea ever. i have 30 years in
the district but only 3 years at my site. this means that people with less senority that has been at the same school site for
because people with higher senority make more pay. i just dont understand why the union would agree to this. my union
dues are the same as lower senority. whos standing behind me?

Sorry, but that is not what is said in that answer. It is clearly stated that the President wanted to allow members to discuss
changes to the seniority system. At the meeting, many members spoke on this issue, including the President, Vice President,
and Staff Representative who all spoke against changing the seniority system. A healthy debate followed, and, in the end,
there has been NO CHANGE to the seniority system in this District or this Union. Your District hire date is controlling.

This may sound very selfish of me with all that is going on but I am a ten year employee (aide) what are the chances of my
job being abolished? I have heard that the district is doing away with aides, I don't see how this can even be done!

It's not selfish to want to keep your job! As of this answer, we haven't heard that the District is abolishing Special Ed Aide
positions. Of course we will check on this rumor and keep you posted.

When will we know the outcome of the Furlough day vote?

Our USW Staff Rep and the rest of our negotiation team have requested that the result of the referendum not be released
until there has been time to complete negotiations with the district regarding the furlough days and the rest of our new
contract. More information on this subject will be available at the next general membership meeting on April 17th.

The Financial Secretary and Treasure provided the same information at the 4/17/10 meeting. They gave the total amount
paid out in bills. I think the members need to know exactly what bills are being paid and how much. Just providing the
total sum and expecting the members to vote to pay it without the breakdown is unfair. Can this information be shared at
the General Membership meetings?

Our Union follows Roberts Rules of Order. This means that any member can raise their hand during the discussion portion of
any vote and ask any questions. The reports given by the Financial Secretary and Treasurer clearly contain the type of bills
being paid, i.e; rent, officers salary, office expenses, donations, etc. If you are at the meeting, you will hear a motion to accept,
a second of the motion, and then "discussion". This will be the time for any member to ask questions.

I just read on the answers page that you are NOT going to release the results of the vote. Please explain to all of us
members why it seems the union is trying to hide something ? I am hearing that this really wasn't a vote but a survey. We
are all hearing rumors, as I'm sure you know. So, why don't you just put them to rest ?

The Union is not hiding anything, we are cooperating with our own Staff Representative and Negotiation Team to ensure that
our members get the best contract possible in these difficult times. We expect to return to the negotiation table sometime in
early May. We ask for all members' patience and support.

How come only management is allowed to dress down on Fridays, wearing a polo shirt and pants? How come all employees
weren't given the opportunity to purchase polo shirts with the District logo and wear this outfit on Fridays? Did the
District pay for these shirts?

When asked this question at a recent Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Olsen-Binks said that the only "dressing
down" that is encouraged by the District is the "School Spirit" Fridays, when staff may wear clothing from one of our High
School teams. Administrators or Supervisors wearing Polo-style shirts bearing the District logo are actually wearing their
"uniforms". Some of these are indeed supplied by the District. This Union has complained regularly about supplying clothing
at District expense to supervisors during a budget crisis. So far, these complaints have fallen on deaf ears.
The cost for buying uniforms for some of the highest paid people in the District? About $9,000 per year....

Why is it that several people have asked to see a classified seniority list and have never been shown one? If the time
comes how do we know where we are at on the list? How can we trust the district office to tell us the truth if we haven't
seen a seniority list?

This Union has been asking for a District-wide seniority list for some time now. Recently, the Superintendent expressed
surprise that we haven't received the list already. We fully expect an accurate listing of all District Classified Employees hire
dates in the very near future.

I have a question about summer school. I am getting bumped from one assignment to another because I was
told that summer school is based on site seniority instead of district seniority. Is this true? Most of our
summer school classes are being held on a different campus from which they are held during the school
year, which further confuses me.

I am sorry you are confused. The District decided to reduce summer school to only 2 sites this year. We think
summer school is an important part of the educational plan for Fontana and hope that it can be fully restored next
year. Here is the language in our Contract regarding how summer school assignments are to be filled:

(from Article 12)

SUMMER SCHOOL
2. The Summer School/Intersession positions will be posted at the site
where summer school will be held and only Classified Bargaining Unit employees at
that site may apply in order to maintain continuity and availability to the summer school program.

Selection will be based on District seniority. If no person from the site fills the
position, the position will be posted District-wide. Selection will then be made per
Fontana Unified School District Board Administrative Regulation 4224(a).

Why is it that the information on the web pages is so old. Events that have taken place last year I see every
time I go to this web site. Is it possible to update more frequently or is there is there not much new
information to post.

The website is updated weekly, sometimes even daily. The home page is updated with current events (like the
pictures of the Classified Employees of the Year), and the Notices page is updated with meeting times and
agendas. Recently, the Women of Steel page was completely updated with information about the Special
Education prom (and some great pictures), and the Charity page has been filled with information about the Union's
participation in the Relay for Life. New questions and answers are also posted to this page as soon as they come
in. Watch for the new Rapid Response page coming soon.....

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LOCAL 8599

Representing FUSD employees for over 30 years

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