Workplace Lunch Meeting
Main Campus - October 17, 2007
Omak Campus - October 22, 2007

Pizza and Soft Drinks Provided to WPEA Members

Mark your calendar and plan to attend your scheduled workplace meeting and learn what the union is
working on for you. For more information, contact your WPEA Staff Rep Linda Fryant

Patience IS the Key

On February 6, 2006, Wenatchee Valley College (WVC) member, Olivia Drakes, turned in a Position Review Request form to Human Resources. She was classified as a Library & Archives Paraprofessional 2 and requested reallocation to a Library & Archival Professional 2.

Assistant Human Resources Director, Tim Marker, denied the request on April 4, 2006, as he felt she was properly allocated. Shortly thereafter Drakes contacted WPEA.

On May 4, 2006, her Union Staff Representative, Leanne Blood, filed a Director’s Review Request with the Department of Personnel (DOP), along with supporting documents. Additional documents were submitted by WVC Human Resources on June 6, and the waiting game began. Blood sent several letters to DOP inquiring about the progress of this and other Director Review Requests. More waiting…

Finally, the hearing was scheduled on October 23, 2006 – nearly 8 months after the original request was filed. Drakes did an excellent job of describing the complexities of her job to the Directors Review Supervisor who said she would attempt to render a decision within 30 days. More waiting…

On December 11, 2006, Blood again inquired about the progress and was told the following day that it would be the end of January 2007. As this deadline came and went, on March 1, 2007, DOP told Blood that it would be a few more weeks.

Finally, on April 5, 2007, Drakes received the results of the review. While she did not get the Library & Archival Professional 2, DOP did determine that she should be reallocated to a Library & Archives Paraprofessional 4 effective February 6, 2006! The Higher Ed CBA allows for a 5% increase in salary for an upward reallocation.

This is yet another example of patience and perseverance. Drakes stood up for what she believed, work with the union, and most of all was patient as her issue traveled through DOP’s long, slow process.

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