Spring 2009 Election of Board Members for UC-AFT Local 1474

Here is the list of the officers elected to serve on the board of UC-AFT Local 1474 during the 2009-10
academic year. (Their statements are still posted below.)

Local President: Kathryn Klar, Lecturer, Celtic Studies, UCB
Local Vice-President: Karen MacLeod, Academic Specialist, Physiology, UCSF

Board Members-at-Large:

Virginia Abascal, Lecturer, Berkeley Law, UCB
Diane Pearson, Lecturer, Ethnic Studies, UCB
Shary Rosenbaum, Lecturer, Graduate School of Education, UCB

Note that this list does not include bargaining reps and grievance stewards, who are appointed by the board as provided for in the local bylaws. You can find more information about your local officers under the Know Your Union section of this website. Many thanks to the busy union members who took time to vote in the online local election, to the board members for their work this year and next year, and to Steve Petersen, UCSC lecturer and inventor of the Online Voting Booth, for helping this local with the online election once again.

And although I'm writing on their behalf, many thanks also to the election committee: Jon Lang, Katherine Lee, and Pat Maughan.

If you have not yet joined the union but you'll be continuing to teach or work on campus, please consider joining now to support
the work of these colleagues, and of your bargaining teams. For more information, click on "Become a member," above.

Michelle Squitieri
Field Representative
UC-AFT Local 1474
510 841-1609
510 384-6727 cell

2009 CANDIDATES’ STATEMENTS

Candidate for President:

Kathryn Klar, Lecturer in Celtic Studies, kkestrel@berkeley.edu

Non-Senate Faculty members and Librarians are highly-trained professionals without whose skills the University of California cannot deliver on its promise of excellence in education and research. Our union is the best way for lecturers and librarians to collectively work toward the professional recognition our training and experience entitles us to, as reflected in equitable and appropriate salaries, job stability, and professional development support. I served on the Professional Development Funding Committee for the 2008 competition, and this work impressed on me just how critical this PDF funding is for our lecturers. The University didn't just give us that funding; we had to organize and bargain hard for it, and it's still just a small fraction of the resources we need. This is just one example of the importance of the collective work we do as a union. University management takes us seriously only when we take ourselves seriously--and devote our collective energies to defending our professional identities, our academic excellence, our students, and our educational mission. I plan to continue to fight apathy and the culture of fear at our University, and to speak out in support of the values that brought me here.

Candidate for Vice-President:

Karen MacLeod, Academic Specialist, UCSF, kmac@phy.ucsf.edu

I am excited about running for re-election to the UC-AFT local 1474 executive board as Vice President. I have belonged to UC-AFT for about six years and have served on the E-Board for the last three. Prior to holding an academic appointment at UCSF I was in the UPTE technical unit where I gained much of my union experience. In addition to being the UCSF UPTE President for several years I was a volunteer organizer for several successful organizing drives, on the bargaining team, and an elected member of the UPTE state wide E-Board. I also gained valuable experience serving as the co-chair of the UPTE system wide grievance committee and by planning and participating in several legislative efforts.

Organizing is a passion of mine and I have a vision for our local in the upcoming year. If elected, I would work to expand our local’s internal organizing program in order to bring our lecturer and librarian membership numbers up, and to increase our visibility in order to increase our bargaining strength. A solid, strongly organized unit of rank and file members makes for better contracts. I will work with our local executive board to educate and involve more of our members so we can build member power and bargain more effectively.

Candidates for Member-At-Large:

Virginia Abascal, Lecturer, Boalt Law School, UCB, virginiaabascal@sbcglobal.net

I would like to run for member-at-large again. Since becoming a lecturer at Berkeley Law, University of California, Berkeley, I have learned a significant amount of information about the university, academically and administratively and the AFT and how it operates not only at Cal but with the other UC campus's. Attending meetings has been fascinating.The union offers personal help as well to its members. I will not be available in person but will be available on the telephone. Call me and we will set up an appointment. 510-708-7113

Diane Pearson, Lecturer, Ethnic Studies Department, jdp@berkeley.edu

I am dedicated to fair treatment of lecturers at all levels and in all departments. I am also devoted to providing research and publication opportunities, retention of retirement benefits, fair teaching loads, and departmental cooperation and recognition of lecturers. I am committed to maintaining contract viability, and the MOU supporting a stable, professional teaching faculty.
I have taught American Indian Studies at U.C.B. for six years, and before that, taught American Indian Studies at the University of Arizona, Tucson. I was a corporate executive before doing my doctorate and have always supported union activities and fair-play agendas in corporate America. I am firmly committed to extending these agendas to educational institutions. I have also seen our union at work and am proud to be a part of such a dedicated group of professionals.

Shary Rosenbaum, Lecturer, Graduate School of Education, sharyrosenbaum@gmail.com

For most of my working career, I have been a public high school teacher where we were required to join NEA with a hefty monthly contribution. They bargained away our benefits, and when I needed their support and help, they would not assist in any way. After one email and phone call to UC-AFT representatives, I was given monumental support, encouragement and the School of Education policies I questioned were revised. I look forward to continuing to serve on the Local Board
for another year.