Club rebuts editor's opinion
Barricl< catches top ranking
Former editor pens first novel
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The Telesco Tuesday, November 14, 1989
Palomar College, San Marcos, CA 92069
Volume 43, ¡N umber 9
Drug testing, safety primary issues facing contract negotiations By Mark Hopkins
Opinion Editor
(Photo by Roman Koenig)
Maintenance Plummer Boe Mills (R) explains to Jim Weld, of the Music Department, the circumstances of a recent flooding of the Palomar College Community Theatre orchestra pit. The cause of the flooding, which brought eight inches of water to the pit, was a broken sprinkler head.
Drug testing and safety concerns are two of the primary issues facing the Palomar Community College District and the classified employees union, the CCE/AFT, in contract negotiations now under way. Classified employees are non-academic/ non-administrative staff. The District's proposal includes employee drug testing and a pay raise of three percent. The union is asking for a 12 percent increase. Among the items being asked for by the union are safe working conditions and a stipend for employees who work with toxic and/ or hazardous materials. The district is proposing that drug testing and searches be conducted on employees who are suspected of either selling illegal drugs, or who are using illegal drugs or alcohol. A rank-in-file union member, who wished not to be identified, said the union believes the prospect of drug testing is, "Repugnant and something that tears at the very fibers of civil liberty." Nonetheless, the district officials believe the proposal to be an "extremely reasonable one." Richard Currier, lawyer and one of the negotiators for the district said that, "It does not violate anyone's right to privacy under federal or state law. The proposal does not include random drug testing, for example. In fact, under our proposal an employee can refuse to consent." According to Currier, an employee cannot be tested against his/her will. However, failure to comply with request for drug testing could result in discipline or dismissal" ... our
concern is that all employers, including community college districts, have an obligation to do something with regard to drugs in the workplace," said Currier Currier says the proposal strikes a delicate balance between the rights of employees and the right of the District to insure that employees don't possess illegal drugs or are under the influence. The District, says Currier, needs to set an example for students against alcohol or illegal drug use. He also stressed the danger of having employees drive utility vehicles around campus inebriated or while interacting with students. Spokespersons for the CCE/AFT refused comment on the issue of drug testing but did speak of the union's concerns about safety. Union member and representative, Brenda Brubaker, a secretary in the Life Sciences Department expressed that, "W~cannot be as specific about negotiations as we want to be, but we do want to concentrate on one issue that is important to us, and that is the proposal on safety and health conditions at Palomar College." Local president Ruth Tait, counselor/enabler in Disabled Student Services, adds that, "The district basically rejected our proposal to improve work conditions at Palomar College to meet Cal-OSHA requirements and fire and health department safety regulation." Currier said that he is unaware of any violations in conversations held at the negotiation table or with the Director of Human Resources and Affirmative Action, Jane Engleman.
(see UNION - page 2)
Showers bathed in health concerns By Janice Davies
Staff Writer Unpleasant odors and slick floors in the women's locker room have prompted students and Athletics Instructor Patti Waterman to issue complaints. According to Waterman, students have voiced concerns about the smell and slickness of the floors in the shower area. Waterman brought the complaints to Custodial Supervisor Phil Morgan. "Sometimes, it takes students complaining to get anything accomplished," said Waterman. "I won't walk on that floor barefoot. We have some type of drainage problem that Building and Maintenance is aware of, except they don't know what to do about it The water just puddles in certain spots and
adds to the odor." Morgan acknowledged that a drainage problem exists and that much of the odor in the building may be do to poor drainage. Waterman also expressed concerns about the ventilation in the locker rooms. Pointing to a ceiling vent, Waterman said, "I'm not even sure those vents work" Morgan said that each custodian is assigned to 20,000 square feet of campus area. He said if part of the crew is absent for a day, one area could suffer because the custodial staff doesn't have substitutes. "We do have our priority areas around campus that get cleaned no matter what, areas such as the restrooms, and locker room areas that need to be sanitized daily," said Morgan. Morgan said that despite appear-
ances, the locker rooms do meet Health Department sanitation codes. "The locker rooms, because of the many complaints, are especially clean right now, verybacteriafree," said Morgan. "Just because you see hair and things piling up in the drain doesn't mean it's not sanitary." According to Morgan, custodians are currently using the disinfectant, A-33, to clean the rooms. Morgan said A-33 is the most powerful disinfectant on the market. Despite cleaning efforts, some students feel that not enough is being done to alleviate the problem. One athletics student, Tricia Gill, (Photo by Janice Davies) pointed out, "When you're walking from the shower to the dressing area Athletics student Tricia Gill stands on swimming fins while taking a and hair gets wrapped around your shower in the women's locker room. Gill expressed concerns over sanitary conditions in the locker room. toes ... that's pretty gross."