Unpaid Staff Council Meeting
May 14, 2013
by teleconference
Attending:
Shahram Aghamir, Tim Lynch, Adrienne Lauby, Ann Garrison, Ruthanne Shpiner
Agenda
1. Welcome to Richard Pirodsky
1. Welcome to Richard Pirodsky
2. Statement
of cooperation with investigators
3. Community Building Workshops
4. Clarification on staff meeting policy
5. Grievance process report (confidential
item?)
1)
Resolution (proposed by Adrienne): The Unpaid Staff Organization elected
council members welcome Richard Pirodsky to his position as interim general manager
of KPFA. We look forward to working with him on matters pertaining to the
unpaid staff.
Tim is opposed because our constituents made it
clear that they supported the prior manager and didn’t want a change. This is another attempt to run KPFA from the
Pacifica Offices without consulting the LSB or the Staff.
Ann and Adrienne think that managing KPFA is tough
and we should offer a kind word.
Shahram does not think that Richard needs this kind
of support and would be more comfortable with this resolution coming in a
membership meeting.
Tim - No
David (by prior e-mail) - No
Shahram -
Abstain
Ann - Yes
Adrienne - Yes
Resolution fails.
2)
Resolution (Proposed by Adrienne):
The Unpaid Staff Organization elected council members understand that an
investigation by an outside agency will begin soon at KPFA and we expect to
cooperate fully.
Passed Unanimously
3. Community
Building Workshops. Community
Bridge-Building Workshops at KPFA for
KPFA. Facilitated by Alternatives to
Violence
Wed. May 29th 6:30 – 9:00pm
Sat. June 1st 3:00 – 5:30 pm
Co-sponsored by the Unpaid Staff organization (UPSO) Communication Workers of America (CWA) and KPFA management. This is a rare opportunity to talk to each other with help from neutral facilitators. With the support of UPSO, CWA and KPFA management these workshops should be powerful. Please consider coming and invite others. The workshops are open to the public. KPFA staff and community are especially urged to attend.
Wed. May 29th 6:30 – 9:00pm
Sat. June 1st 3:00 – 5:30 pm
Co-sponsored by the Unpaid Staff organization (UPSO) Communication Workers of America (CWA) and KPFA management. This is a rare opportunity to talk to each other with help from neutral facilitators. With the support of UPSO, CWA and KPFA management these workshops should be powerful. Please consider coming and invite others. The workshops are open to the public. KPFA staff and community are especially urged to attend.
4a. Staff
Meetings
Adrienne Proposed a resolution about staff meetings which was broken into two resolutions. The discussion:
Adrienne Proposed a resolution about staff meetings which was broken into two resolutions. The discussion:
Tim: What is
the issue in having LSB members come sporadically? What is the strong feeling that gives rise to
this paragraph of the resolution.
Shahram:
Sometimes the staff meetings should be just staff and managers. The demarcation lines shouldn’t be blurred. If people are uncomfortable with LSB members
in the room, their objection should be honored.
Ann: Has
been uncomfortable with board members who seem to simply show up at staff
meetings. Board members would understand
the station better if they came to the staff meetings. There hasn’t been an outcry against LSB
members at the meetings but she, herself, has objected and so has at least one
other staff person.
Shahram: Is there a way to know in the meeting
whether or not the LSB members have all been invited.
Adrienne:
There are usually staff representatives at the meeting who can tell us.
Shahram: How
practical is it for us to ask someone to leave?
4b) We
affirm our February 13, 2012 resolution calling on KPFA managers to hold
regular all-staff meetings on, at least, a bi-monthly schedule.
Additionally, we note KPFA's long-standing tradition of two meetings, with one in the morning to accommodate those who work in the building during the business hours and one in the evening to accommodate those who work elsewhere. We call for both afternoon and evening meetings whenever there is an all-staff meeting.
Additionally, we note KPFA's long-standing tradition of two meetings, with one in the morning to accommodate those who work in the building during the business hours and one in the evening to accommodate those who work elsewhere. We call for both afternoon and evening meetings whenever there is an all-staff meeting.
Passed unanimously
4c) We call
for a meeting policy that staff meetings are primarily for paid/unpaid staff
and managers at KPFA. When listener-representatives
of the local station board (LSB) are invited, the invitation should also be
extended to all listener LSB representatives.
Discussion:
Ann and Adrienne think this is important and want to pass it.
Tim - Suggests
talking to paid staff about it to get more input.
Shahram – dropped off the call.
Resolution tabled.
5. Grievance
process report. This item was tabled
because Shahram had dropped off the call.
Adrienne will communicate with Shahram to ask him for a time when we
could have a short meeting (30 min?) to get this report.
Meeting adjourned shortly after 8 pm
Notes by Adrienne
