Pat Gantt About Alliance Action Alert

From Pat Gantt, CSUEU President, regarding last night's Alliance for the CSU Action Alert email:

TO: CSUEU Board, Legislative and Communication committees and CSUEU Assigned Staff

I am forwarding an email from the Alliance for the CSU that came in last night. Please share with our members and encourage they make a couple of phone calls. The talking points are in the message. The proposed budget the Senate will be voting on does not fund the CSU fully and any spending cap could harm future budgets.

Link

• Alliance for the CSU Action Alert

Alliance Action Alert: Action Needed Today

The Alliance for the CSU sent out this alert last night.

Editor's note: The legislative roster in this message is based on campus location, and should not be expected to identify which legislators represent you personally. If you're not sure of your district or legislators, you can look up your legislators based on your (residence, not mailing) ZIP code.

URGENT ACTION ALERT
STATE BUGET ACTION

It appears that the California State Legislature may be approaching a final budget vote before the weekend. Your urgent action is needed!

As you know, our efforts persuaded the Governor to restore nearly $100 million for the CSU into the May Revise but measures are now being considered by the legislature that could have a devastating effect on future CSU budgets.

Budget Caps, Program Cuts, Borrowing and a "now you see it now you don't" tax increase/decrease:

One option being discussed is a "rainy day fund" that would, in fact, serve as a defacto budget cap limiting the legislature's authority to make decisions like restoring funds to the CSU.

The guidelines for this reserve would severely limit the prospects of restoring CSU funding even to 2002 levels leaving our campuses locked into terrible budgets for years to come. We will not be the only ones harmed – K-12, the poor and uninsured and other public social services will suffer.

In addition to a budget cap, other budget "solutions" include deep programmatic cuts that would have a devastating effect on services to children, families and seniors.

Also in the works are borrowing schemes that, in the past, have contributed to the state's current problems and a temporary sales tax increase that doesn't address the long-term needs of the state.

Please take a moment to let the legislature know that a de facto spending limit will not only do long-term harm to K-16 education and other essential public services, but will limit our ability to restore prosperity to the state; devastating cuts to children, families and seniors are unacceptable and temporary revenue increases are shortsighted.

Below is a chart containing the members of the legislature by campus…CALL THEM TODAY AND TELL THEM TO:

1. VOTE AGAINST ANY INCREASED STATE RESERVE THAT WILL FURTHER DEFUND OUR SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND CONTINUE TO INADEQUATELY FUND PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION;

2. REJECT DEEP CUTS TO PROGRAMS AFFECTING CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND SENIORS; AND

3. REJECT TEMPORARY REVENUE INCREASES THAT DON'T ADDRESS THE LONG-TERM NEEDS OF CALIFORNIA.

LEGISLATIVE ROSTER
Campus	Assembly/Senate	Name	District/Party	Phone
BA	S	Florez, Dean	16 - D	916 651 4016
BA	S	Runner, George	17 - R	916 651 4017
BA	A	Fuller, Jean	32 - R	916 319 2032
CH	S	Aanestad, Sam	04 - R	916 651 4004
CH	A	Keene, Rick	03 - R	916 319 2003
CH	A	La Malfa, Doug	02 - R	916 319 2002
CI	S	Kuehl, Sheila	23 - D	916 651 4023
CI	S	McClintock, Tom	19 - R	916 651 4019
CI	A	Brownley, Julia	41 - D	916 319 2041
CI	A	Strickland, Audra	37 - R	916 319 2037
DH	S	Oropeza, Jenny	28 - D	916 651 4028
DH	S	Ridley-Thomas, Mark	26 - D	916 651 4026
DH	S	Vincent, Edward	25 - D	916 651 4025
DH	A	Dymally, Mervyn	52 - D	916 319 2052
DH	A	Furutani, Warren	55 - D	916 319 2055
DH	A	Lieu, Ted	53 - D	916 319 2053
DH	A	Price, Curren	51 - D	916 319 2051
EB	S	Corbett, Ellen	10 - D	916 651 4010
EB	S	Perata, Don	09 - D	916 651 4009
EB	S	Torlakson, Tom	07 - D	916 651 4007
EB	A	Hancock, Loni	14 - D	916 319 2014
EB	A	Hayashi, Mary	18 - D	916 319 2018
EB	A	Houston, Guy	15 - R	916 319 2015
EB	A	Swanson, Sandre	16 - D	916 319 2016
EB	A	Torrico, Alberto	20 - D	916 319 2020
FR	S	Cogdill, Dave	14 - R	916 651 4014
FR	A	Arambula, Juan	31 - D	916 319 2031
FR	A	Parra, Nicole	30 - D	916 319 2030
FR	A	Villines, Michael	29 - R	916 319 2029
FU	S	Ackerman, Dick	33 - R	916 651 4033
FU	S	Correa, Lou	34 - D	916 651 4034
FU	A	DeVore, Chuck	70 - R	916 319 2070
FU	A	Duvall, Michael	72 - R	916 319 2072
FU	A	Solorio, Jose	69 - D	916 319 2069
FU	A	Spitzer, Todd	71 - R	916 319 2071
FU	A	Tran, Van	68 - R	916 319 2068
HU	S	Wiggins, Patricia	02 - D	916 651 4002
HU	A	Berg, Patty	01 - D	916 319 2001
LA	S	Cedillo, Gilbert	22 - D	916 651 4022
LA	S	Romero, Gloria	24 - D	916 651 4024
LA	S	Scott, Jack	21 - D	916 651 4021
LA	A	Bass, Karen	47 - D	916 319 2047
LA	A	Davis, Mike	48 - D	916 319 2048
LA	A	De La Torre, Hector	50 - D	916 319 2050
LA	A	de Leon, Kevin	45 -D	916 319 2045
LA	A	Eng, Mike	49 - D	916 319 2049
LA	A	Nunez, Fabian	46 - D	916 319 2046
LA	A	Portantino, Anthony	44 - D	916 319 2044
LB	S	Calderon, Ronald	30 - D	916 651 4030
LB	S	Harman, Tom	35 - R	916 651 4035
LB	S	Lowenthal, Alan	27 - D	916 651 4027
LB	A	Calderon, Charles	58 - D	916 319 2058
LB	A	Karnette, Betty	54 - D	916 319 2054
LB	A	Mendoza, Tony	56 - D	916 319 2056
LB	A	Silva, Jim	67 - R	916 319 2067
MA	A	DeSaulnier, Mark	11 - D	916 319 2011
MA	A	Evans, Noreen	07 - D	916 319 2007
MB	S	Maldonado, Abel	15 - R	916 651 4015
MB	A	Caballero, Anna	28 - D	916 319 2028
MB	A	Laird, John	27 - D	916 319 2027
NO	S	Padilla, Alex	20 - D	916 651 4020
NO	A	Feuer, Mike	42 - D	916 319 2042
NO	A	Fuentes, Felipe	39 - D	916 319 2039
NO	A	Krekorian, Paul	43 - D	916 319 2043
NO	A	Levine, Lloyd	40 - D	916 319 2040
NO	A	Runner, Sharon	36 - R	916 319 2036
NO	A	Smyth, Cameron	38 - R	916 319 2038
PO	S	Margett, Bob	29 - R	916 651 4029
PO	S	Negrete McLeod, Gloria	32 - D	916 651 4032
PO	A	Adams, Anthony	59 - R	916 319 2059
PO	A	Hernandez, Ed	57 - D	916 319 2057
PO	A	Huff, Bob	60 - R	916 319 2060
PO	A	Soto, Nell	61 - D	916 319 2061
SA	S	Cox, Dave	01 - R	916 651 4001
SA	S	Steinberg, Darrell	06 - D	916 651 4006
SA	A	Gaines, Ted	04 - R	916 319 2004
SA	A	Jones, Dave	09 - D	916 319 2009
SA	A	Nakanishi, Alan	10 - R	916 319 2010
SA	A	Niello, Roger	05 - R	916 319 2005
SA	A	Wolk, Lois	08 - D	916 319 2008
SB	S	Dutton, Bob	31 - R	916 651 4031
SB	A	Benoit, John	64 - R	916 319 2064
SB	A	Carter, Wilmer Amina	62 - D	916 319 2062
SB	A	Cook, Paul	65 - R	916 319 2065
SB	A	Emmerson, Bill	63 - R	916 319 2063
SB	A	Garcia, Bonnie	80 - R	916 319 2080
SB	A	Maze, Bill	34 - R	916 319 2034
SD	S	Ducheny, Denise	40 - D	916 651 4040
SD	S	Kehoe, Christine	39 - D	916 651 4039
SD	A	Anderson, Joel	77 - R	916 319 2077
SD	A	Horton, Shirley	78 - R	916 319 2078
SD	A	Plescia, George	75 - R	916 319 2075
SD	A	Salas, Mary	79 - D	916 319 2079
SD	A	Saldana, Lori	76 - D	916 319 2076
SF	S	Migden, Carole	03 - D	916 651 4003
SF	S	Yee, Leland	08 - D	916 651 4008
SF	A	Leno, Mark	13 - D	916 319 2013
SF	A	Ma, Fiona	12 - D	916 319 2012
SF	A	Mullin, Gene	19 - D	916 319 2019
SJ	S	Alquist, Elaine	13 - D	916 651 4013
SJ	S	Simitian, Joe	11 - D	916 651 4011
SJ	A	Beall, Jim	24 - D	916 319 2024
SJ	A	Coto, Joe	23 - D	916 319 2023
SJ	A	Lieber, Sally	22 - D	916 319 2022
SJ	A	Ruskin, Ira	21 - D	916 319 2021
SLO	S	Ashburn, Roy	18 - R	916 651 4018
SLO	A	Blakeslee, Sam	33 - R	916 319 2033
SLO	A	Nava, Pedro	35 - D	916 319 2035
SM	S	Battin, Jim	37 - R	916 651 4037
SM	S	Hollingsworth, Dennis	36 - R	916 651 4036
SM	S	Wyland, Mark	38 - R	916 651 4038
SM	A	Garrick, Martin	74 - R	916 319 2074
SM	A	Jeffries, Kevin	66 - R	916 319 2066
SM	A	Walters, Mimi	73 - R	916 319 2073
SO	A	Huffman, Jared	06 - D	916 319 2006
ST	S	Denham, Jeff	12 - R	916 651 4012
ST	S	Machado, Mike	05 - D	916 651 4005
ST	A	Aghazarian, Greg	26 - R	916 319 2026
ST	A	Berryhill, Tom	25 - R	916 319 2025
ST	A	Galgiani, Cathleen	17 - D	916 319 2017

Your immediate action is needed and appreciated.

---

Privacy Warning About Alliance Sign-Up

Expect the personal information you provide on the Alliance cards and web form to be provided to others without your knowledge or consent. The Alliance has said that they might release people's personal information – without notice or permission – to the CSU administration, and it turns out the Alliance has released information to at least one union and one outside marketing firm. The Alliance does not allow you to opt out of having your personal information released. As of this morning, the Alliance still does not publish a privacy policy on their web site, or otherwise disclose how they will use your information or to whom they will release it.

If your chapter collects cards, or urges people to sign up on the Alliance web site, please advise people that their personal information may be released to others without notice. Employees should not provide any information they don't want given away to unknown third parties, including home or personal cell phone numbers, or personal email addresses. We suggest providing only your work contact information: campus mailing address, campus phone, and campus email address. An alternative would be for a group to select someone to act as a front-line contact, who provides his or her personal information to the Alliance and then forwards the action emails to the rest of the group.

The (small, low-contrast) "privacy policy" link in the footer of the Alliance Action Alert email goes to the outside marketing company's privacy policy, not that of the Alliance for the CSU.

We will post Alliance email messages here as we receive them.

Links

• Alliance for the CSU
• Look up your legislators

Michael Garrity Appointed to BUC 9

Michael Garrity, Bargaining Unit Representative 9 (BUR 9) at Chapter 305 (San Francisco), is joining Bargaining Unit Council 9 (BUC 9).

Laura Ann Bishop, from Bakersfield, resigned her positions as chapter BUR 9 and at-large member of BUC 9. With the concurrence of the BUC, Chair Rich McGee appointed Michael Garrity to the vacant seat.

Michael is a programmer/analyst and has worked for Enrollment Services (née Admissions and Records) during his entire 28-plus years at San Francisco State University.

He became a union activist, in the words of Abe Osheroff, Because the bastards will never cease their evil and the decent human beings will never stop their struggle. He says I consider helping my fellow workers (I am also a Wobbly) a privilege. Being allowed to help those who struggle to overcome oppression is a gift of great humility and trust from the worker seeking assistance.

Links

• Bargaining Unit 9
  • Bargaining Unit Council 9 (BUC 9)
  • About the BUC 9
• CSUEU Chapter 305: San Francisco

Chapter Organizing Grants Distributed

Ronnie Grant, CSUEU Vice President for Organizing, announced yesterday that the chapter organizing grants have been distributed:

If your Chapter applied for and was awarded a Chapter organizing grant, I have been advised that checks have already been deposited into your account by CSEA or mailed to your Chapter for you to deposit in your local bank account.

Grant requests totalled $50,493, and grants awarded total $10,000 (the amount budgeted). All chapters which applied received a grant. Chapters receiving grants are:

• 301 Humboldt
• 302 Chico
• 303 Sacramento
• 304 Sonoma
• 305 San Francisco
• 308 Stanislaus
• 309 Fresno
• 310 Bakersfield
• 311 Los Angeles
• 312 Northridge
• 315 Long Beach
• 316 San Luis Obispo
• 319 Pomona
• 321 San Marcos
• 324 Channel Islands

Staff Update: Michael Hejazi

Phillip Coonley, CSUEU Chief of Staff, sent this announcement out yesterday afternoon:

TO: CSUEU BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF

I am writing to report that, despite our best efforts, we will not be able to keep Michael Hejazi in the US past September 19th.

Michael has been a huge asset to our organization. He has done everything asked of him and more. He has shown professionalism, diligence and responsiveness during his tenure at CSUEU and we will miss him greatly. I will be granting him a 6 month leave of absence so that in the unlikely event he is able to secure another visa, he can return to the CSUEU and continue to provide representation for our members.

My intention is to immediately post a one year temporary LRR position. I will use this position primarily to cover Monterey, San Jose and Sonoma.

Phillip Coonley, Chief of Staff
California State University Employees Union (CSUEU)

Union Plus Scholarship Applications Coming September 8

Union Plus offers scholarships for union members, their spouses, and dependent children attending higher education. Awards range from $500 to $4,000. Eligible schooling includes university, college, trade school or technical college, and graduate students are eligible. Applicants are evaluated according to academic ability, social awareness, financial need and appreciation of labor.

Applications will be available online beginning September 8, 2008. The application deadline is January 31, 2009.

You don't have to use any other Union Plus programs or products to be eligible for these scholarships.

CSUEU is SEIU Local 2579. As of this writing, CSUEU does not have its own listing in the Union Plus menus, so select SEIU as your union affiliation.

Links

• Union Plus Scholarship Program (Union Plus)
• Sign up for an email reminder when Union Plus scholarship applications are available (Union Plus)
• Union Plus

A Layoff By Any Other Name

Just because a manager doesn't want to call it a layoff doesn't mean it isn't one.

A Hypothetical Example

Let's say, hypothetically, that a manager is shutting down a particular workgroup and eliminating the positions in that group. Let's further say, hypothetically, that the manager wants to get rid of the employees in the group without calling it a layoff.

Instead, the manager tells his employees that, even though their current positions are about to be eliminated, he's done them a big favor and found them temporary jobs elsewhere. The jobs may be in Foundation (where employees are unrepresented, with no contract and no one to speak for them), or they may be temporary positions within the bargaining unit, where the employee can be let go with little notice. They might even be permanent positions, but with a lower classification, pay rate, or time base.

Of course, the manager doesn't tell the employees he's trying to trick them into quitting their jobs, giving up their rights and benefits for nothing. He definitely doesn't tell employees about their rights under the layoff provisions of the contract, and the campus doesn't notify the union of a layoff.

When a steward gets wind of this, and starts asking questions, the manager insists it isn't a layoff, and that the employees are voluntarily choosing to leave their jobs and move to other positions.

A Camouflaged Layoff Is Still a Layoff

Guess what? It's still a layoff. The manager is trying con the employees into quitting their jobs, so that they lose all their rights, and he doesn't have to deal with union representatives who know the employees' rights. Removing an employee from stateside service this way equals a layoff, no matter how a campus tries to disguise it.

If a situation like this develops on your campus, contact your LRR and the bargaining team immediately. (If only one bargaining unit is involved, you can contact Dennis and the Chair and Vice Chair of the bargaining unit, rather than the whole team.) If you're not sure, err on the side of caution and sound the alarm sooner rather than later. The bargaining team will never mind hearing about a developing situation on your campus, but you could do real damage by waiting until the layoffs-by-another-name are already happening just because you're not sure.

The January article about layoffs has a quick overview of what all union officers and stewards should know.

Links

• Stewards: Be Ready for Questions (About Layoffs) (Unit 9 News)
• Know Your Rights flyer #10: Layoffs (CSUEU)
• Article 24: Layoff (CSUEU Online Contract)
• Article 24: Layoff [PDF]

Technology Executives Urge Budget Support for Higher Education

In today's San Francisco Chronicle, two technology company executives urge support for higher education in the state budget:

As business leaders, we understand that investing in higher education is just as vital as investing in the latest equipment and technology. Our public colleges and universities are the foundation of California's business model, its blueprint for economic growth, its strategic plan for global market share. The world is networked, and our public universities are at the hub of those connections embedded throughout our offices, our homes and virtually every aspect of our daily life. Keeping those connections healthy and vigorous requires the full participation and engagement of the community - from all the people of California.

That's why we're urging the governor and our state legislators to continue fueling California's economic engine by making strong, sustained investments in higher education in this year's budget. These choices will make all the difference for California's future.

The authors are Kim Polese, CEO of SpikeSource, and Jerry Fiddler, chairman of Solazyme. SpikeSource sells software development tools. Solazyme describes itself as a synthetic biology company that unleashes the power of marine microbes to create clean and scalable solutions for the renewable energy, industrial chemical, and specialty ingredient markets.

Links:

• Budget must make higher ed a priority (San Francisco Chronicle)
• SpikeSource
• Solazyme

CSU Fired High-Level Whistleblowers Block and Verellen

Three CSU Chancellor's Office employees, including Joel Block and Paul Verellen, were forced out of their jobs after questioning the way Chancellor Charles Reed hired and paid a high-profile labor consulting firm, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. The CSU hired Georgia consulting firm C. Richard Barnes & Associates, LLC, in a series of no-bid contracts to assist with labor issues including negotiations and arbitrations. The contracts began in November 2005 and run through the end of the year, for a total of about $2.45 million. The contracts far exceed the amount allowed for no-bid contracts.

Paul Verellen called the arrangement a sweetheart contract and has filed a complaint with the Bureau of State Audits. Joel Block says Barnes & Associates were not qualified. Block was fired after contacting a member of the Board of Trustees with his concerns. Verellen and Block both worked in Labor Relations at the Chancellor's Office. CSUEU has dealt with both of them in various contexts, including contract negotiations with Block.

Chancellor Charles Reed says he got tired of all of the labor-relations problems and asked somebody who the very best labor person was, and that led him to Barnes & Associates. The first contract signed with the firm was under the $50,000 cap for contracts awarded without competitive bids. After that, the size of the contracts climbed, but the no-bid approach didn't change:

Six weeks later, on Dec. 29, 2005, the CSU procurement director signed a $496,000 contract for Barnes' next phase. That was followed by a $610,500 contract extension in September 2006 and a $1.3 million extension in April 2007. All were handed to Barnes without competing bids, documents show.

Legal and policy requirements were brushed aside:

Under state law and CSU policy, university officials must produce a written justification prior to issuing a no-bid contract or deciding not to request proposals from potential bidders.

In January 2008, the CSU's chief of procurements acknowledged violating the requirements, and created a retroactive justification for the no-bid contract.

The article notes:

A related CSU policy requires officials to evaluate at least three other vendors and explain why they were rejected before awarding a no-bid contract. The Chronicle review of documents found no record that other vendors had been considered. There is no shortage of such consultants. Professional directories list scores of labor-relations experts with experience in dispute resolution, management representation and higher education.

Payments made under the contract include consulting fees of $4,000-$5,000 per day, first-class travel, valet laundry service, limousine service, and expensive dinners for up to four guests, and entertainment expenses - at times without any notation of who was being entertained or the purported business purpose.

State Senator Leland Yee said All of this undermines the integrity of our government and how dollars should be used efficiently and effectively.

The California Whistleblower Protection Act states The Legislature finds and declares that state employees should be free to report waste, fraud, abuse of authority, violation of law, or threat to public health without fear of retribution. The Legislature further finds and declares that public servants best serve the citizenry when they can be candid and honest without reservation in conducting the people's business.

Links

• Whistle-blowers accuse CSU over contracts (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Bureau of State Audits (BSA)
  • About the California Whistleblower Protection Act (BSA)
  • How to file a complaint (BSA)
  • Laws Governing the Investigative Function (BSA)
• California State University Policy Manual For Contracting & Procurement (CSU)
• CSU Systemwide Human Resources Org Chart dated February 21, 2008 and showing Paul Verellen [PDF] (CSU)
  • Backup copy of CSU Systemwide Human Resources Org Chart dated February 21, 2008 [PDF]

Update

The Chronicle for Higher Education has picked up the story:

• Whistle-Blowers Say California State U. Fired Them for Questioning No-Bid Contracts (Chronicle for Higher Education)

Alliance Action Alert for August 15

The Alliance for the CSU sent out this action alert yesterday, about ACA (Assembly Constitutional Amendment) 19. ACA 19 failed in committee by a vote of 15 to 10. We reproduce the email alert here for your information only; the action called for is not needed now (though a thank you to members who voted No couldn't hurt).
Note: We've made one addition to the message: in the list of committee members to contact, we've included a column showing how each one voted.

The Sacramento Bee reports that Assembly Speaker Karen Bass plans to force a budget vote tomorrow, Sunday. The Assembly's web site states the Assembly has adjourned until Sunday, August 17, 2008, at 3:00 p.m. or upon call of the Speaker.

The Bee also reports that Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata said his chamber would hold a vote 'probably Sunday,' though he grew more tentative about those plans late Thursday. As of this writing, the Senate Daily File shows nothing scheduled until Monday.

ACTION ALERT
CA STATE ASSEMBLY TO ADDRESS BUDGET

The Assembly is preparing to act on the final budget for Fiscal Year 2008-09 and your urgent phone calls are needed-- TODAY!

As you know we were able to get an additional $100 million into the Governor's January budget but the "HARD SPENDING CAP" ACA19 (Villines)" that is being considered by the Assembly Budget Committee could have a devastating effect on future CSU budgets.

A mandatory spending limit or larger state reserve means that there will be no hope in future years of restoring CSU funding even to 2002 levels leaving our campuses locked into terrible budgets for years to come. We will not be the only ones harmed-K-12, the poor and uninsured and other public social services will suffer.

Please take a moment to let the legislature know that a mandatory spending limit or larger state reserve will not only do long term harm to education and other essential public services but it will limit our ability to restore prosperity to the state.

CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY AND TELL THEM TO:

1. VOTE AGAINST ACA19; AND
2. VOTE AGAINST ANY INCREASED STATE RESERVE THAT WILL FURTHER DEFUND OUR SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND CONTINUE TO INADEQUATELY FUND PUBLIC HIGHER ED

[Editor's note: We've added a column showing how each member of the committee voted. A – means the member was absent, abstaining, or not voting.]

Member	Area	Phone Number	Vote
Roger Niello (R-05)	Sacramento	(916) 319-2005	Aye
Juan Arambula (D-31)	Central Valley	(916) 319-2031	No
Jim Beall (D-24)	San Jose	(916) 319-2024	No
John Benoit (R-64)	Riverside	(916) 319-2064	Aye
Patty Berg (D-01)	Humbolt, Sonoma	(916) 319-2001	No
Sam Blakeslee (R-33)	San Luis Obispo	(916) 319-2033	–
Julia Brownley (D-41)	LA	(916) 319-2041	No
Paul Cook (R-65)	Riverside, San Bernardino	(916) 319-2065	Aye
Hector De La Torre (D-50)	LA	(916) 319-2050	No
Chuck Devore (R-70)	Orange County	(916) 319-2070	Aye
Mike Duvall (R-72)	Orange County	(916) 319-2072	Aye
Bill Emmerson (R-63)	Riverside, San Bernardino	(916) 319-2063	Aye
Noreen Evans (D-07)	Sonoma	(916) 319-2007	–
Mike Feuer (D-42)	LA	(916) 319-2042	No
Jean Fuller (R-32)	Central Valley	(916) 319-2032	Aye
Mary Hayashi (D-18)	Bay Area	(916) 319-2018	No
Ed Hernandez (D-57)	LA	(916) 319-2057	No
Bob Huff (R-60)	Riverside, San Bernardino	(916) 319-2060	Aye
Dave Jones (D-09)	Sacramento	(916) 319-2009	No
Paul Krekorian (D-43)	LA	(916) 319-2043	No
Bill Maze (R-34)	Central Valley	(916) 319-2034	Aye
Gene Mullin (D-19)	Bay Area	(916) 319-2019	No
Ira Ruskin (D-21)	Bay Area	(916) 319-2021	No
Jim Silva (R-67)	Orange County	(916) 319-2067	Aye
Sandre Swanson (D-16)	Bay Area	(916) 319-2016	No
Lois Wolk (D-08)	Sacramento	(916) 319-2008	No

Your immediate action is needed and appreciated.

Links

• ACA 19
• Assembly Committee on Budget vote on ACA 19
• Assembly Committee on Budget
• California Assembly speaker plans a budget vote Sunday (Sacramento Bee)
• California budget hinges on spending limits for future economic recessions (Los Angeles Times)
• Latest gambit in state budget impasse (San Francisco Chronicle)
• California State Assembly
• Assembly Daily File
California State Senate Senate Daily File
• LegInfo [Editor's note: For Daily Files, try the Assembly and Senate pages. LegInfo seems to be having trouble and this morning is serving up files from previous months.]

Governor Sues to Force Pay Cuts

Governor Schwarzenegger has sued State Controller John Chiang to try to force the Controller to cut state employee's pay to minimum wage. From the San Francisco Chronicle:

Chiang vowed to defy the Republican governor's pay instructions asking that 150,000 state employees receive the federal minimum wage of $6.55 per hour and 30,000 managers and supervisors receive a salary equal to $11.38 per hour until a state budget is enacted.

The governor's position is that the state constitution and government code do not allow the state to pay employees their salaries without a budget in place.

Chiang disputes the governor's legal interpretation. He also has said it would take a minimum of six months to reduce pay to the federal minimum wage because of an outdated computer system and numerous individual deductions for each employee.

"Rather than focus on building consensus for a budget that addresses California's long-term fiscal problems, the governor seems adamant on picking a fight over whether state employees are entitled to the wages they have worked for and earned," Chiang said in a statement. "I am confident the court will share my concerns that it will be infeasible for the existing payroll system to reduce the wages of more than 180,000 public servants down to the federal minimum wage in such a short time."

CSU has said the CSU is not affected by the governor's order, and that CSU employee pay is not at risk.

Links

• Governor sues controller to force pay cuts (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Schwarzenegger sues California controller over pay cuts (Sacramento Bee)
• What the State Controller Can and Cannot Pay Without an Enacted Budget (Updated to Include August Payment Estimates) (State Controller's Office)
• Update: CSU Works to Ensure Employees Receive Paychecks (CSU)
• CSU Works to Ensure Employees Receive Paychecks (CSU)