FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- What is SBUT?
- What is SBUT’s mission statement?
- I’d like to know what’s going on in other SBUT chapters. How can I keep up with them?
- What is the difference in the terms “local,” “chapter,” “union,” and “association”?
- Can I join my local chapter without joining SBUT, CTA and NEA?
- How do I know if I’m a member or a fee payer?
- I didn’t join the union. Why do I have a payroll deduction that looks the same as the members’ deduction?
- What’s the “Hudson Notice” process?
- Where does all my dues money go?
- Why does the union use my dues to fund political campaigns?
- I’m glad that CTA is actively involved in politics, but I don’t like some of the positions that have been taken in the past. How can my voice be heard?
- What’s a grievance?
- Bottom Line: What does SBUT do for me?
- What should I be doing for SBUT/my local chapter?
What is SBUT?
South Bay United Teachers (SBUT) is a joint venture of the Centinela Valley Secondary Teachers Association (CVSTA), the Manhattan Beach Unified Teachers Association (MBUTA), Palos Verdes Faculty Association (PVFA), and the Redondo Beach Teachers Association (RBTA).
You may hear the term “UniServ.” That is the function SBUT serves in relation to the local, state and national organizations. SBUT provides “unified services” to these four local chapters. It has one Executive Director and two office staff who provide support. “The office” refers to the SBUT office where the staff work, and is also the office to CVSTA, MBUTA, PVFA & RBTA. Each of those local chapters have representatives on the SBUT Board of Directors.
What is SBUT’s mission statement?
South Bay United Teachers (SBUT) creates a vision for the ideal Association by establishing norms and best practices on behalf of our members. Ever mindful of our members’ district needs, SBUT provides information and training to our membership and coordinates how best to apply this knowledge to the work of the Association.
South Bay United Teachers protects and promotes the well-being of its members while strengthening local associations in their ability to develop educational and organizational leadership. We provide best practices for united action and advance the education, human dignity and civil rights of all children and youth through promoting the quality and funding of public schools.
South Bay United Teachers employs professional staff and maintains a centrally located meeting hall and office facility to conduct business as per the UniServ agreement between South Bay United Teachers and the California Teachers Association/National Education Association.
I’d like to know what’s going on in other SBUT chapters. How can I keep up with them?
SBUT maintains a website at www.sbut.org. There you can find out what’s going on in each chapter through the news link. You can access chapter contracts there as well.
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What is the difference in the terms “local,” “chapter,” “union,” and “association”?
Nothing! Used interchangeably, they refer to the ‘local union chapter’ in your district. Your local or your union or your chapter or your association is either CVSTA, MBUTA, PVFA or RBTA.
Can I join my local chapter without joining SBUT, CTA and NEA?
When you join your local chapter you are joining the UniServ, the State and national organizations as well. You cannot join one without joining the others.
How do I know if I’m a member or a fee payer?
To become a member, you simply need to complete an enrollment form and turn it in to the office. The office will send a membership packet when your membership card is received from CTA. You can always check on your membership status by calling the office at 310-921-2500.
I didn’t join the union. Why do I have a payroll deduction that looks the same as the members’ deduction?
CVSTA, MBUTA, PVFA and RBTA are “Agency Shop” locals. This means that anyone covered by the chapter contract must pay their “fair share” of the costs involved in collective bargaining. These folks are known as “Agency Fee Payers” or “Fee Payers” and are represented by the local chapter in contract negotiations and in contract grievances and are therefore part of the Bargaining Unit of the chapter. (“Bargaining Unit” simply refers to everyone who is covered by the chapter contract).
Fee Payers have the same payroll deduction as members (less each chapters’ local PAC contribution amount). Fee payers are not obligated to pay for those things not related to collective bargaining so they have a window of opportunity to request a rebate of those costs through the "Hudson Notice" process.
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What’s the “Hudson Notice” process?
This is the process in which the California Teachers Association (CTA) provides an explanation of the basis for the agency fee. CTA mails a packet to each Fee Payer’s address which outlines all expenditures and provides the forms necessary to request a rebate. An arbitrator reviews all expenditures each year to determine which are related to collective bargaining and which are not. The percentage of those that are not related to collective bargaining (called “non-chargeable expenditures”) may be rebated to Fee Payers upon request.
Where does all my dues money go?
Good question! It’s a significant investment, and it’s not always easy to see the return on that investment. But like any good insurance, it can be hard to appreciate the benefit until you need it.
Your dues establish membership in your local chapter & SBUT as well as the state and national organizations (California Teachers Association- CTA and the National Education Association- NEA).
Dues money pays for membership benefits such as liability insurance, legal protections outside the scope of the contract, and various economics benefits. But dues mostly pay for collective bargaining. Your contract (which includes salary schedule, benefits and other terms and conditions of your employment) must be negotiated with the district. If collective bargaining were not required, your salary, benefits, terms and conditions of employment would be solely at the discretion of your school district. Arguing for whether or not this would be a good thing is something we’ll let you determine for yourself.
Supporting collective bargaining is a big undertaking. CTA & NEA keep up with all legislation being thrown at public education, with statewide statistics for school districts, and with all issues affecting your job as an educator. Some folks object to CTA and NEA’s involvement in the political arena, but the brutal fact is that politics play a major role in your job as an educator as we’ve seen in ‘No Child Left Behind’, attempts to reduce your retirement benefits, voucher attempts, attempts to increase the probationary period, and a whole myriad of issues over the years. Again, it’s sometimes hard to appreciate the advantage of something unless you can see what it would look like were it not there.
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Why does the union use my dues to fund political campaigns?
The union is prohibited from using your union dues to fund political campaigns. Each of our chapters have separate political action funds that members may voluntarily contribute to in order to support the work that they do related to campaigns. Your chapter’s PAC (Political Action Committee) with approval of chapter leadership, determines how those funds are spent.
I’m glad that CTA is actively involved in politics, but I don’t like some of the positions that have been taken in the past. How can my voice be heard?
CTA makes decisions about who to endorse for political offices and what position to take on ballot measures and pending legislation. These decisions are made through the CTA policy-making body—State Council. State Council meets in Los Angeles several times a year and has elected representatives from all over California. SBUT currently has five State Council reps who represent the four SBUT chapters as well as Wiseburn and Hermosa Beach. They are: Erik Carlstone and Jack Foreman (CV); Carol Matthews (MB-she’s also an NEA Director); Kisha Williams and Renae Roberts (PV). Any member can attend State Council, but only reps are permitted to vote.
What’s a grievance?
A grievance is a written statement by a grievant citing a specific section of the contract that has allegedly been violated or misapplied, and a statement of redress requested. A grievance is directed towards the district. Bargaining unit members do not file grievances against each other or against members of CSEA-the classified union. If it’s an issue that is not addressed in the contract, it is likely a “complaint,” which is handled through a district procedure.
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Bottom Line: What does SBUT do for me?
SBUT provides an office facility for meetings/trainings/bargaining/workshops, a facility for housing documents, a facility for access to office supplies & equipment, and a facility for providing a central hub for communication between members, their local chapters and CTA/NEA.
The SBUT Executive Director serves as a negotiator and/or consultant to each chapter leadership team, attends and provides support & information for chapter meetings, provides budget analysis information & interpretation, assists in document preparation, represents and serves as spokesperson of the Association, provides leadership support, stays current & provides information on education & labor issues & legislation, serves as conduit for legal service advice, provides situational evaluation and advisement, counsels members on professional problems, represents members at related meetings, aids in resolution of grievances, answers membership concerns, provides and/or arranges for training to chapter leaders and to the general members, writes, edits and provides research for numerous publications each year, provides representation at layoff hearings, assists in chapter political activities, and is responsible for the overall functioning of SBUT.
The SBUT Office staff provide support for each local chapters’ governance body (known as “Rep Council”) including processing memberships, maintaining current & accurate membership data & providing to chapter leadership as requested, maintaining chapter financial information and preparing financial reports, preparing legal assistance referral forms, coordinating and implementing chapter programs, maintaining the SBUT website, providing notarial services, coordinating tutoring program, complying with FPPC, IRS, CTA & NEA regulations, providing information to state and national associations when requested, preparing publications and information, preparing ballots and election materials, compiling survey information, researching and compiling statistics and other information, delivering & picking up mail, arranging reservations for meetings, conferences and dinners as well as other required logistics, assisting with workshops, preparing agendas and maintaining minutes for chapters, maintaining records & files for four local chapters, SBUT and two Political Action Committees, answering member questions, processing mail, ordering office supplies, printing, publications, plaques and awards, maintaining office equipment , managing the SBUT office (utilities, insurance, phones, computers, etc.) and assisting chapter leadership as requested.
What should I be doing for SBUT/my local chapter?
As a member of a union, you should work to develop professional, collegial relationships with your union brothers and sisters. Unionists believe very strongly in “An injury to one is an injury to all”. This means that if there is an injustice or inequity, as unionists we work collectively to correct it.
Become familiar with your own chapter contract. You can read it online at the SBUT website (www.sbut.org) click on your chapter’s link, then “contract”.
Know who your reps are. Attend union site meetings. When you can’t attend in person, ask one of your colleagues to fill you in on what was discussed.
Make sure your reps have your non-district contact information. All of our presidents send out information periodically to our members, but they do not use school district email addresses. It’s also good to keep your cell phone number and home number updated so that you stay in the information loop.
Consider becoming a site rep. Elections are held each spring.
Your chapter president appears regularly at school board meetings and you may be asked to come out and support the union from time to time. Your attendance is always appropriate.
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