Stewards Council Meeting February 18th, 2007

In Attendance: Stacy Pollard, Keith Russo, mEghan Cook, Erdal Terkivatan, Elise Boneau, Tim Duby, Jason Trowbridge, Mike Ciletti, Julie Roos, Julie Houck, Brenden Weaver, Micah Erwin, Michelle Erwin, Angela ,Jessica Lynam, David Zwart, Jamie McCandless, Chris Pomeroy.

Meeting began at 3pm.

1. Minutes and Agenda

2. Updates

a)Bargaining: Jason Trowbridge reported that the last bargaining meeting went well and that we were anticipating counter to several proposals this week. We reached tentative agreements on special conferences and union rights. Bargaining will continue this Monday working on our proposals, as well as Thursday, 2-5pm in Bernhard Center.

b)Organizing: Chris Pomeroy reported that he received updated lists from Math and English. There is some anticipation of new cards from those departments. There will be a meeting with the sociology students on Monday March 26, information to follow. The first membership email went out to about 300 hundred students with around 100 bounces. This will be an ongoing process to clear out bad addresses in order to communicate more efficiently with the general membership. Chris encouraged students to pass along those emails to any who were not receiving information.

c)President: David reported that the Board of Trustees does not meet again intil April 27th, so our objective of direct representation to the powers that be will need to be directed elsewhere, possibly towards the president. David also reported that he was interviewed by the Western Herald student newspaper regarding the union. The article was favorable and should appear in the next week.

3. Upcoming Items

a) Hot Chocolate Event: David encouraged stewards to fill out the sign-up sheet for the event this week on Tuesday and Wednesday. We are printing fliers for distribution. Please check with Chris for times and scheduling.

b)There will be a meeting with Sociology this coming Monday, Feb. 26th in Sangren. The Math students are also planning a meeting for some Tuesday or Thursday in the afternoon, details to be worked out.

c) David Zwart suggested "blitzes" on non organized or less well organized departments, espcially larger departments like English and Psychology this week, with the physcial sciences to follow. Keith Russo agreed to return to Engineering to try and stir up the absent stewards and motivate the base.

d) David Zwart encouraged all stewards to continue talking to people in thier own departments as time is running short for propagandzing and motivating the base.

To Do This Week:

1) B-Team back up to meet at 1:45pm in the Bernhard Center. Please encourage people in your departments to show thier support.

2) Please continue to acquire or updates lists of ta's and to investigate the number of classes taught.

3) The Research committee will continue investigating the situation at those universities to which Western compares itself.

4) Prepare for departmentsl visits.

There was some more general dicussion about reaching non responsive or poorly organized departments, whose resolution was to assign time slots for organizing:

Monday:

12- Jessica, Michelle, Stacy

1pm-Jessica, Stacy

2pm-Meghan, David

3pm-David

4pm Julie Roos

Thursday-

11am-Jamie, Jessica, Micah, Julie H., Julie R., Jason T.

12pm-Jamie, Jason,

3pm-

4pm-

David encouraged stewards to organize when they had time and to call Chris or those stewards with more experience at face-to-face orgnaizing if they wanted assistence.

Brenden Weaver suggested making contact with the Progressive Student Alliance, perhaps to organize "teach-ins" as an awareness event.

Keith Russo suggested another St. Patrick's Day event to attract hesitant members. Other members of the Stewards Council agreed that alcohol generally attracts a larger number of grad students.

Angela also suggested the union particpate in events such as "Take Back the Night."

Jessica Lynam noted that anyone to whom the union owes money should see her.

Meeting adjourned at 3:55pm.