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About The OSEA news. (Salem, Oregon) 1970-1981 | View Entire Issue (July 20, 1978)
J Uly 20,1978 The OSEA News Page 9 OSEA group monitors affirmative action By JIM KELLY Affirmative Action Committee During the past year, most of you have un doubtedly been readihg and hearing news reports of cases being heard in the courts regarding discrimination under the guidelines set forth for affirmative action. The most notable of these cases seems to be the Bakke case in California in which Bakke has charged that he was the victim of “reverse discrimination” by the entrance board of the University of California Medical School. He is alleging that he was passed over for acceptance into that school in favor of minority candidates so that the school could fulfill “quotas” established to meet the requirements of an affirmative action plan. The attention that such cases draw sometimes tends to cloud some of the real issues of affirmative action and polarize groups of people. This polarization often leads to infighting in which all of us suffer.'Since the first of .this year, the OSEA Affirmative Action Committee, chaired by Glenette Olvera, has been meeting monthly to identify ways in which OSEA members can benefit from the Governor’s Affirmative Action Plan. What we have learned through discussion among ourselves and talking with fellow members on the job is that many people are hot well informed as to what affirmative action is and whom it protects. Most of us know that minority groups and women are protected but how about the physically or mentally handicapped and those of us between the ages of 40 and 65? These also are protected classes under affirmative action guidelines and if you fall into one of these classes and feel that you have been disqualified for promotion or transfer because of it, you may have a legitimate grievance. The Affirmative Action Committee is interested in hearing from you about your feelings about af firmative action. This is your committee and we are trying to provide a service to the.members. So far we feel that if we can make members more aware of affirmative action and the necessity for it, we will be serving our purpose. Hopefully we can assist the membership in making affirmative action work for them. At our May meeting in Portland, State Affir mative Action Director Harold Williams met with us to discuss ways in which we can make af firmative action work. Williams is optimistic of management’s intention to make the plan work so the time seems to be right to bring your concerns into the open. If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions, please jot them down and drop us a line in care of OSEA headquarters in Salem and we will try to respond to all of them. One of our interests is a monthly column in The OSEA News in which we respond to your questions. It’s this type of ssharing that will benefit all of us so your question may well be the one that sets a spark among other members and could make a potentially discriminatory practice known. Central contract articles need enforcement By ELEANOR MEYERS Classification Analyst There are two clauses of the OSEA Agreement with Executive Department that all employes need to understand and enforce promptly. One is Article 52 and the other is Article 22. Work Out of Class (Article 52, Central Agreement) This agreement applies to temporary assignment to tasks of a higher salaried position for more than 15 days. It requires that a one step increase be paid for the period of assignment to work oiit of class, even if the employe is at the top of the salary range of his regular class. If you are assigned most of the duties of a higher position while it is vacant, while someone is on vacation for more than 15 days, on sick leave, etc., you should reach a clear un derstanding with your super visor that the work out of class article applies. If there is any difficulty with getting it applied by your agency, get in touch immediately with your job rep or staff representative to prepare for grievance. Aborted Reclass (OSEA /Exec. Dept. Memorandum of Agreement) If there has been a deter mination that you are per forming duties of a higher class and your position should be reclassified (Article 22 of Central Agreement), your agency has the alternative of presenting a funding proposal to the legislature for reclassifying your position, or removing the out of class duties to keep the current classification. If the duties of the classification are changed, it is called an aborted reclassification. Our agreement requires that the employe receive pay for that period of time in which work of the higher class was performed despite the fact that no reclassification actually occurs. Compensation will be in a lump sum payment at the time the duties are ac tually changed to those of the authorized classification. Pay will be computed at the rate the employe would have received had.. the employe been reclassified. New automobile? Boats? Trailers, Recreation Vehicles? Vacations? Home improvement? Savings? 1 All are good reasons to look to your credit union MULTNOMAH STATE EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION IÆ 1220 S.W. Columbia Street Portland, Oregon 97201 Telephone: 227-4132 f # Blue willow § RESTAURANT A LÔUNÔE FRIENDLY, RELAXING A & BEAUTIFUL EACH MEMBER SHARE ACCOUNT INSURED TO $40,000 BY ADMINISTRATOR, NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. AUTHENTIC CHINESE & AMERICAN CUISINE Open 7 Days Lunch & Dinner Best Margarita In Town For Reservations or Orders To Take Out Please Call 581-3067 1985 Lancaster N.E. Newport's Newest Ocean Front Motel HAVE A PEPSI DAY BEA PEPPER Complete Service For ALL UNITS: Ocean Front Queen Size Beds Easy Beach Access Color TV Parties — Picnics — Special Events — Vending SOME KITCHENS & FIREPLACES “where to call” Write or call: Windjammer Motel Pepsi-Cola — Dr Pepper Bottling Co. 3011 Silverton Rd., N.E. Salem, Oregon Phone 363-9221 744 S.W. Elizabeth St., Newport Pilone: 265-8853 f] li Recently the Emergency Board caused a number of aborted reclasses in Human Resources Department agencies by not approving funding for any reclassifications that were not funded with permanent savings from other eliminated or downward reclassed positions. In some instances, changing the duties to conform with the previous class will be difficult, if not impossible, without making major program revisions. As long as the duties continue unchanged by management; the einployes in those positions will be due pay at the higher class rate. If you have further questions about aborted reclassifications or work out of class pay, call your staff representative br Eleanor Meyers. Improper appointment withdrawn SALEM -- The appointment of a person as affirmative action officer in the Departftient of Transportation was such a blatant violation of rules and procedures that it had to be set aside. This action mooted the case that Jim Butler had before the Employment Relations Board and probably denied him his “day in court” but it did right a wrong. Butler had the highest score of all the applicants on the Open Competitive List for the position. But because DOT did not want to appoint him or anyone else on the open com petitive list, it requested from the Personnel Division a selective certification for state wide promotion and cancelled the open competitive list, said OSEA Employe Representative Peter De Luca in his petition for review to ERB. All the same, Butler was again the highest scorer on the statewide promotion list. De Luca argued that DOT’S action violated several personnel rules. However, , the ap pointment to affirmative action officer was withdrawn before the matter came to hearing before ERB.
