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UFF Biweekly EXTRA
United Faculty of Florida -- USF System Chapter
20 January 2016
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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Come to the Union Socials!

The USF Chapter of UFF is organizing get-togethers.

  • A reception for newly hired USF faculty and professionals. Although we are especially inviting new employees, we would like UFF members who have been around USF and know the ropes to come and talk to new employees. Thursday, January 21, from 4 pm to 6 pm at Longhorn Restaurant at 2110 E. Fowler Avenue in Tampa.
  • A Starting the Semester Reception. Again, everyone is invited. Monday, January 25, 6 pm - 10 pm, in Ferg's Bar & Grill, 1320 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg.

$ 500 Travel Grants for UFF Members

The USF Chapter of the UFF will award six $ 500 Travel Scholarships for summer and fall. This will be for travel for participation in a professainl activity. All applications are due by April 21, and only UFF members are eligible. The six recipients shall be selected by lot at the April 22 chapter meeting. See the flyer.

This initiative is part of our membership campaign. If you would like to become active in the UFF USF Membership Drive, contact the Membership Chair, Adrienne Berarducci (click here).

Join UFF Today!

Download, fill in, and mail the membership form. Benefits of membership include the right to run and vote in UFF chapter and statewide elections; representation in grievances (UFF cannot represent a non-member in a grievance or litigation); special deals in insurance, travel, legal advice, and other packages provided by our affiliates; free insurance coverage for job-related liability; and the knowledge you are supporting education in Florida. Come and join the movement.

Grievances

If you have been the victim of a violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, you have thirty days from the time you knew or should have known of the violation to file a grievance. If you are, and at the time of the violation were, a dues-paying member of the United Faculty of Florida, you have the right to union representation. To contact the UFF USF Grievance Committee, go to the online contact form. For more information, see our web-page on grievances.

Visit Us on Facebook

Visit the United Faculty of Florida at USF Facebook page. This page is a place where UFF members can exchange thoughts and ideas. The page is "public", but only dues-paying UFF members are eligible to post items on the page. If you are a UFF member, ask to join on the page, or contact the Communications Committee. The Committee will invite every UFF member that asks to join. So check us out. UFF members are welcome to join, and non-members are welcome to look.

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

It's election time for the UFF USF Chapter, and time to ask UFF USF members to consider running for office or representative seats. All dues paying UFF USF members, and only dues paying UFF USF members, may run and vote in this election. You must be a member by February 19 to be eligible to run or vote this year. The deadline for nominations is February 19.

Any UFF USF member may run for any one of these offices; all UFF members - and only UFF members - may participate in this election. If you join UFF by February 19, you may participate.

  • The President oversees the operations of the chapter.
  • The Vice President assists the President.
  • The Secretary maintains documents and records.
  • The Treasurer handles finances.
These four elected officers, and the Chief Negotiator and the Grievance Chair (both appointed by the President), make up the Executive Council. In addition, the USF Chapter of UFF sends representatives to two union bodies:
  • The UFF Senate is the primary policy-making body of the statewide United Faculty of Florida, which is the strongest voice for higher education in Florida. It meets twice annually, during a weekend, in Tampa or Orlando, and the USF Chapter of UFF is represented by senators elected by UFF USF members in this election. In fall, 2016, it meets on September 17 & 18.
  • The FEA Delegate Assembly is the primary policy-making body of the Florida Education Association, which represents K-20 teachers and professionals and is the strongest voice for education in Florida. It meets annually, in mid-fall, for Friday and early Saturday in Tampa or Orlando, and UFF USF is represented by delegates elected by UFF USF members in this election. This year it meets in Orlando on October 21 & 22.
UFF USF members may run for either senator or delegate or both; UFF USF members running for an office may also run for one or both representative positions.

If you are interested or wish to nominate another member, please start the process by downloading, filling, and sending the nomination form to the Chapter Secretary.

LOGISTICS

Chapter Meeting Friday, January 29, at noon at USF Tampa in a room TBD.

There will be free lunch. Come and check us out.

Membership: Everyone in the UFF USF System Bargaining unit is eligible for UFF membership: to join, simply fill out and send in the membership form.

NOTE: The USF-UFF Chapter website is http://www.uff.ourusf.org, and our e-mail address is uff@ourusf.org.

About this broadcast: This Newsletter was broadcast from uff.ourusf.org, hosted at ICDsoft.com, and is intended for all members of the UFF USF Bargaining unit (USF faculty and professionals at most departments). A (usually identical) version will be broadcast to USF-News and USF-Talk from mccolm@usf.edu.

If you do not want to receive the UFF Biweekly, you can unsubscribe below. If you do not receive the Biweekly, but want to, e-mail a message to gmccolm@tampabay.rr.com.