October 31, 2002

vol. 43 no. 3

From the President…

From the President
Our current PFT/PCCD Contract expires June 30, 2003. We are entering the all-important negotiating season for the new contract, which will have a major impact on our Peralta working lives from July 2003-June 2006. As we approach PFT's first general membership meeting this semester (Nov. 7) I want to share with you some of the contract development proposals suggested by PFT members at the recent campus meetings-and by email, phone, and other communication with the PFT.

Article 6 J (Federation Rights)
Increase release time for PFT from 2.0 to 2.5

Article 14 (Dept Chairs)
The PFT will present language delineating and clarifying the role of the PFT, Academic Senate, and administration in Department Chair elections and a method for dealing with resolution of disputes regarding the procedure.

Article 18 C 4 (Workload)
Raise extra service assignment factor for non-teaching faculty (counselors, librarians, etc.) to .65
Article 18-a- 7 (Workload)
Increase part-time office hours to maximum allowed by state funding (and law).

Article 21 - (Salary)
The PFT will propose a formula using 60% of growth funds and other new monies towards the following (not in priority order):
1. Part-timers, add additional step (to step 6)
2. Contract faculty, add extra step to entire schedule
3. Increase 60% pro rata to 75% for contract and employed part-timers
4. Other salary items
Article 21-I (Salary)
On each paycheck, all faculty shall receive an indication of their placement on the salary schedule, including column and step. In addition, paychecks shall be coded in such a way as to make it possible for the faculty member to know what each payment is for, and their available sick leave.

Article 22 (Benefits)
22- C -1 (and 6) add "vision care insurance"
22- G - 1 (b) change to "have worked for one semester" instead of 3 semesters for eligibility for part-timer benefits.

Article 26 - T - 3 (Leaves)
Increase leave banking to 60 semester equated hours

Article 30 (Part-time rights)
The PFT will propose a seniority (job security) system for part-time faculty assignments.

New Article
The PFT will propose language for a new article on technology and intellectual property. If you would like the full text of this 4-page proposal, we can send you a copy electronically or by fax or mail, or you can pick it up at the PFT office. Contact Rick Greenspan (748 2309) or the PFT office (763-8820) for a copy.

Please let us know of any additional proposals you may have for the Contract. Make plans to attend the November 7th general membership meeting to join in the discussion of these crucial contract issues.

Kathy Bauer

Executive Council Election News

As you may have heard, Mark Greenside is our newly-elected union Secretary, carrying 164 of the 169 votes in this election (there were two write-ins and three incorrectly returned ballots).

While Mark will continue to represent the Merritt faculty until his vacated Campus Co-Chair position is filled, nominations have gone out at Merritt College for a replacement. If you are a Merritt faculty member who wishes to nominate yourself or someone else to this position, and didn't get a nominations form in your campus mailbox, please contact the PFT office right away. And then keep an eye on your home mailbox for the ballot that will be sent out the week of November 11. If you have moved in the last year or so, please make sure we have your current address so that your ballot arrives on time.

Kathy Bauer

Special Bulletin for
Blue Cross Prudent Buyer Members

We were recently informed that the anesthesiology group at Alta Bates is no longer a part of the Blue Cross Prudent Buyer program. A teacher went in for surgery-which she assumed was covered in full-and woke up to find that she had a pay a large bill for her anesthesia! The same thing happened to another member last year when she needed a CAT scan at John Muir Hospital (Walnut Creek). The CAT scanner there is owned by a group of doctors who aren't part of the Prudent Buyer program, although the John Muir Hospital is listed as included in the Prudent Buyer program.

The lesson of these incidents is clear. If you plan to have elective surgery, you (or your physician) need to check with all the groups involved to be sure that they are ALL part of the Prudent Buyer program. That includes testing labs, X-Ray/CAT Scan facilities, anesthesia, etc. While the hospital is the biggest cost in most surgeries, it isn't the only one.

If one of these bills is not covered under Prudent Buyer, then it is paid at a rate of "80% of the usual and customary fees." Blue Cross is very tight-lipped about how they determine the "usual and customary" charge, but it is often quite a bit below the charge that you get hit with. So "80% of usual and customary" can often translate to 50% coverage of the cost of a procedure. These "usual and customary" costs can be checked in advance of surgery, should you decide to use a non-Prudent Buyer for part of the process.

One more thing. In an emergency hospitalization, Peralta covers 100% of your bill, regardless of whether a hospital or group is a member of the Prudent Buyer system. However, a payment of this type needs to be specially authorized by Larry Hardy's office at the District Office (his office essentially "overrides" the "80% of usual and customary" limit). If you are involved in such an emergency hospitalization, it is important to contact Larry Hardy's office as soon as possible to facilitate the payment.

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