To all Members:

We are in the process of updating access to the Private portion of our Web Site. To access this area please follow these instructions:

In order to log in      your username is your union id # without the 0′s in the begining, and your password is your first name all in CAPS.

On the private site the Seniority List is posted. In the private area other Union related issues will be posted as needed.

Bill Iacullo, President

If you have worked overtime and have not be paid for time worked within one pay period, please send me a fax at 312-326-6928. State in the fax the date the overtime was worked and what was the overtime for and who approved the overtime. I need this information as soon as possible.

Bill Iacullo, President

Clerk’s Access to Engineer’s time card may have been mistakenly removed. This would not allow clerks to enter overtime worked by you  at the school for School Based Overtime (paid out of a school bucket for building rental) ONLY. If this is the case in your school, have the clerk email the Payroll TAC Team and their access to your time card will be granted. This will be the only way to insure proper payment of the School Based (rental Bucket) overtime ONLY. All other overtime must be submitted to the FM. Today is the deadline for entering payroll to be paid on April 19th so this must be done today.

Bill Iacullo, President

Dear Members,

This morning I was informed by the CPS that there will be some school closings at the end of this school year. I was further told that Principals will be talking to the staff at those schools sometime today. Whatever is said or distributed at those meetings, if contradictory to our contract, will be corrected. As you know, we have language in our contract to cover involuntary moves from a school building and language to cover layoff by seniority if they become necessary. The CPS has guaranteed that the terms of our agreement will be followed in the event of layoffs.  Layoffs are not anticipated, but if there are, it will be done as per the language in our contract. If your school is closing, you will be re-assigned by operations to another facility. I was told I will be given a complete list of the schools to be closed this afternoon. I will post the list, once I receive it as well as any other communication I receive on this topic. Be assured the union will remain involved in this matter to insure compliance with our contractual agreement with CPS.

Fraternally,

William E. Iacullo,  President

Beginning Monday, March 11, 2013 all non-CTU employees enrolled in medical benefits that did not respond to the Tobacco Usage Attestion during the benefits enrollment period must designate their tobacco usage status.  The deadline to complete this requirement is Friday, March 15 at 5:00 PM.  Employees that do not complete the Attestation will be charged the full tobacco usage premium based on income level and family status.  The attestation will be available to employees through the HR4U.cps.edu website.   Please notify employees who don’t have regular access to a computer (lunchroom, custodial, security, etc.) of this deadline.  Please notify your payrole clerks to accommodate employee requests to use computer facilities for the purpose of completing this requirement.   Remember, this is only required for non-CTU employees that did not make a designation during the last benefits enrollment period, including new hires .  Thank you for your assistance.

As you know we voted on the news terms of our contract  August 3, 2012. This meant that we have a new 4 year bargaining agreement or “Contract”. While there has been several meetings discussing the written contents of the contract, we have NEVER been without a Contract, contrary to the rumors and mis-information that has been circulated. The written contract will be printed when all the wording matches correctly what all of us voted to accept on August 3, 2012. I am happy to say, as of last Tuesday February 26, 2013 and after many meetings, discussions and emails, the CPS and Local 143 have agreed on the wording with exception of three  issues. Two of the issues will be ruled on by an Unfair Labor Practice as you should recall I filed in July of 2012 when the negotiations seemed to not be in good faith by CPS. A hearing will be held by the Education Labor Board whose decisions will be final. These are: 1) Increments and 2) Pay rate for engineers hired after July 01, 2013. While the CPS and Union have signed off on these two issues this past July and we seemed to have agreement, the CPS is NOW taking a different position that they didn’t mean the language as was originally agreed upon. So until the Education Labor Board rules on those two issues they will be noted in the written contract as issues waiting on a ruling from the Illinois Education Labor Board. It is my belief and I have strong feelings that we will prevail on these issues. And if we do, all terms will be retroactive to July 01, 2012. The last issue is that of Snow Removal. When we supervised the custodial workers, snow was part of supervisory duties and we were involved in the snow removal process. As of the new agreement we no longer supervise custodial workers, therefore we should not be responsible for the snow removal process. A grievance was filed immediately and was subsequently denied by the CPS.  Local 143 moved the snow removal grievance to an arbitration. An independent arbitrator will decide if it is our responsibility or not. Since it is not in our agreed to job descriptions, the contract can be printed while we await this proceeding.

This having been said, it is my hope that the explanation provided here eliminates the confusion and misinformation that has been distributed about us not having a contract. Once again, please not we have never been working without a contract, we just were unable to go to print until the CPS lived up to the agreed terms and was willing to sign off on the written wording as agreed to in negotiations. It has taken several months of many long meetings with legal and the CPS but, if this was not done, we would not have a printed document that truly reflected what you voted on in August. No contract will be printed that does not reflect what we signed off and voted for as to the terms of our agreements that were mailed to all members in late July 2012, prior to the ratification meeting. As soon as all signatures are secured,  the contract will go to print and then mailed to all members.

Fraternally,

William E. Iacullo, President

Dear Members,

WELLNESS

Part of our 2012-2016 Bargaining agreement contained a “Wellness” program provided by CPS at no cost if you participate. our participation is only as outlined in the program and does not included attaining results. If you do not follow the three steps outlined you will be charged an additional $50.00 per month. The website to participate is  http://www.chicagoliveshealthy.com/CPS/.

PMP

Also in our bargaining agreement we agreed to Progress Management Program. While a similar program started per-maturely, you Union is presently meeting so that the PMP program that will be used is in line with our contract. We have been assured by Pat Taylor and Terry McGuffage that this program will not be used for disciplinary reasons. It is only a tool to attain goals. Once the contractually agreed program is agreed upon and being rolled you will be notified by the Union. At the present do not sign any document relating to this. When we agree the union will sign on your behalf after you have been appraised of the program. Once again we will keep you informed.

Fraternally,

Bill Iacullo, President

Today the CPS has informed me that ther are 178 members of Local 143-143B that have not chosen a tobacco use selection in the Open Enrollment process. If you have not done so please do, this is part of the Open Enrollment process.

• Recently, several Facility Managers have been talking about scheduling PMP and meetings to discuss goals which would require you sign off. This was part of negotiations and was to be in collaboration with the Union. To date the Union has not met with the CPS. It is recommended that you not sign off on this until the Union has had a chance to fulfill our agreement with CPS to collaborate on this plan. If you are threatened with discipline action sign with the words signed under protest.
• Education Classes will start the week of January 10, 2013. If you are registered for class, your instructor will call you this week with time and place of your class/es.