Region 4 Ratifies the Tentative MOU

Dear Members,

We are very happy to announce that our successor MOU has been ratified with a 70% participation rate. The ratification vote count is as follows: 

89% Yes votes
11% No votes

Thank you all for your support! Wishing you all a wonderful Holiday Season and a Prosperous 2023.

In Unity,

Your Region 4 Bargaining Team:

Silvia San Martin, Region 4 Delegate, CFI Local 39000
Jimmy Villagran
Nancy Wilson
Ricardo Serur
Esther Neblina
Carmen Ramos, Secretary-Treasurer, CFI Local 39000

Region 4 Ratifies the Tentative MOU

Dear Members,

We are very happy to announce that our successor MOU has been ratified with a 70% participation rate. The ratification vote count is as follows: 

89% Yes votes
11% No votes

Thank you all for your support! Wishing you all a wonderful Holiday Season and a Prosperous 2023.

In Unity,

Your Region 4 Bargaining Team:

Silvia San Martin, Region 4 Delegate, CFI Local 39000
Jimmy Villagran
Nancy Wilson
Ricardo Serur
Esther Neblina
Carmen Ramos, Secretary-Treasurer, CFI Local 39000

Region 4 Representative Elections 

Elected by Acclamation (unopposed)

Region 4 Board Representative - Silvia San Martin

Announcing Interim Elections for Vacant Executive Board Position
Region 4 Board Representative
10.19.2022

CFI Local 39000 is announcing Interim Elections for the Executive Board Position of Region 4 Board Representative. Unfortunately, our present Region 4 Board Representative, Claudia Morales, has left employ with the courts and thereby is disqualified from continuing in the position.

The CFI Local 39000 Bylaws are clear that any position that becomes vacant must be filled if there are more than six months left in the term. The present Board’s term expires in December of 2023; therefore, it is incumbent upon the Local to run Nominations and Elections to fill the positions. (Bylaws Article 8, Section 5)

The opening date set for officially receiving nominations will be November 4^th, 2022; officially closing by 5:00 pm on November 13^th, 2022. Nominated candidates will have until November 18^th, 2022, to either accept or decline the nomination. Candidates must be members in good standing, accept the nomination in writing, and agree to participate in training.  Our Bylaws define the role of the Regional Board Representative as follows:

Section Six: Unit Representatives

The Representatives of each of the Regional Bargaining Units shall: 

Please send nominations by email to [email protected]; in the subject line be sure to write “Region 4 Nomination – Interim Elections.” 

Usually for the Executive Board elections members are allowed up to four nominations: the three officers – President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer – and the regional board representative for your region. Members of our Freelance/IGA unit only nominate the Freelance Chair. As the only open position is the Region 4 Board Representative, there will be a limit of one nomination per member-at-large.
 
The term of office will begin upon election and completion of officer training and run through December 31, 2023.
 
In the event of a contested race for the open regional board representative position, a secret ballot election will be conducted. Should there be a need for secret ballot, the date for ballot returns would be Friday, December 2^nd, 2022 and the count would take place on Saturday, December 3rd, 2022 at the Local under the direction of the Local’s Election Committee.

In unity, 

Dear Members, 

April 30th, 2022 was the expiration date of the 120-day period LASC relied on to continue remote work under the original COVID-19 Telework contract. Many of you have returned to work and have been called upon to do remote work while on site. Until uniform remote work standards are established between CFI and LASC, your MOU and the following Judicial Council standards apply. We can use the following standards for our own protection by citing them, if necessary, while on the record. CFI will use them to defend against any attempt to discipline us in remote settings.

We would like to share with you two attachments. One is called the "Quick Script to Address Remote Interpreting Problems," which is meant to be a one-page double-sided document that our members can print out, fold up and carry around while working. It contains suggested phrases to put on the record or say to judges in certain situations. It is also useful in non-remote settings in some instances.

The second attachment, a five-page "Reference Packet for Quick Script", is comprised of reference material (i.e. court rules and judicial standards) to support your scripted statements to the court. It is also helpful in guiding interpreters in some ethical situations.   

The third reference source is a hyperlink (in bold blue ink which you may click) of a lengthy Judicial Council manual that was compiled specifically for court interpreters. The blue hyperlink is found at the end of the second paragraph of page 1 of the "Reference Packet". Once you click on it, it will take you to a JC website. In the middle of the website page, go to the "Ethics Training Information" heading and you will find the link below this heading which will take you to "Professional Standards and Ethics for California Court Interpreters". Press click on that and you will access this helpful manual of approximately fifty pages. 

We believe that armed with the three valuable resources that we have included here, you will be in a better position to make appropriate remote and non-remote interpretation decisions in your courtrooms. 

We apologize for the tardiness in preparing these documents for distribution.

In solidarity, 

Roxana Cárdenas
CFI Steward