NEIUPI

This April, the UPI holds a general election for Local Officers, Chapter Officers, Chapter Representatives and Convention Delegates. Our NEIU chapter nominating committee (Breckie Church, Audrey Natcone, Laura Sanders and I) will be soliciting nominations for all of the available slots. Listen for a knock on your door, a phone call or check your emails daily for your call to elected office.

An on line nominating form is available so that you may self nominate or nominate a colleague or two. To enter a nomination or two or many, please follow the links below. All nominees entered through the on line process will contacted to confirm their eligibility and their willingness to stand for election.

To submit nominations for the UPI Local 4100 offices, go to:

Local 4100 Officers

To submit nominations for the NEIU UPI Chapter offices, go to:

NEIU Chapter Officers

To submit nominations for the NEIU Constituency and A-Large Representatives and Delegates, go to:

Reps and Delegates

Thank you for your partcipation.

The election for NEIU chapter officers and representatives is scheduled for April 2012. The UPI Local 4100 officer candidates will be on the April ballot as well. In the next month our NEIU nominating committee will be out and about gathering candidates for both the local and chapter elections.

During the fall, our chapter executive committee suggested an increase in the number of representatives serving on the executive committee so that more members take an active role in determining the future of our chapter. An increase in elected representatives and the creation of our sick leave bank must be reflected in our bylaws. A draft of the revised bylaws is attached for your review. The membership must have an opportunity to discuss the revision before voting on the draft.

Membership meetings are scheduled for the end of January to give us an opportunity to discuss the proposed revision to the bylaws as well as potential candidates for the upcoming chapter and local elections. The meetings are scheduled as follows:

Wednesday, Jan 25 from 2 – 3:15 pm in Golden Eagles
Thursday, Jan 26 from 3 – 4:15 pm in LWH 1001

In light of all the activities surrounding the state of our pensions, please note it is important to have good strong representation on the SURS board. Please see the message below about AFSCME tabling in village square to gather signatures on nominating petitions. (ts)

From AFSCME to UPI members:

Regarding the upcoming SURS Board of Trustees election on March 30, 2012, our AFSCME Local will be tabling in Village Square today 10A—2P and tomorrow 10A-2P to gather signatures on the nominating petitions for two candidates. They each need at least 400 signatures to get on the ballot and our Local has volunteered to assist in this effort.

We’d like to invite all faculty members to stop by our table next week to sign these petitions.

Given what’s been discussed recently on the issue of pension “reform,” this is an important election and we want to make sure we have union-friendly reps on the Board. Council 31 has identified two strong,pro-participant candidates for these positions. Dorinda Miller is an AFSCME Local president at University of IL in Urbana, has served as a Trustee for many years and intends to run again. Andrew Matthews teaches political science at ISU and has been endorsed by the Illinois Education Association. Please see the attached letter from Henry Bayer,Executive Director of AFSCME Council 31 for more info on both candidates.

All SURS participants are eligible to sign the petitions. Please stop by our table on Tues Dec 6th or Wed Dec 7th between 10A and 2P in Village Square to add your signature

Please make sure you vote in the UPC election. The tenured and tenure track faculty in arts and sciences received an email today (Sherkow) about the UPC election. It is important that you vote so that there are enough members on the UPC (university personnel committee) to review the tenure, promotion and retention portfolios for this year.

Colleagues in College of Education and College of Business and Management, please watch your email so that your colleges are represented on the UPC.

Please forward any questions about these elections to the chair of faculty senate, Judith Kaplan-Weinger (j-Kaplan1@neiu.edu) or Sabrina Guth (s-guth1@neiu.edu).

By now you should have received your ballot for the SURS Board of Trustees election. This is the first time we can elect the individuals who will represent our interests on the pension board. It is in our best interest that we vote. The candidates endorsed by the coalition of Labor Unions (UPI, AFSCME, IFT, IFT, IEA and SEIU) and SUAA are as follows:

For Current Employees: Participants’ candidates

Jeff Beaulieu, Joe Iosbaker, Dorinda Miller, Antonio Vasquez

For Retirees: Annuitants’ candidates

Jeff Engstrom, Mitch Vogel

Please vote and mail in your ballot NOW – BALLOTS ARE DUE AT THE SURS OFFICE BY 10AM ON JUNE 17. Thanks, and remember the pension you save is your own.