Collective Level Expectations

Current Expectations of Collective Members

The following statements are the expectations for a member of the Free Geek collective. These expectations have been agreed upon by the collective.

Further expectations are being talked about pending approval or denial. To contribute go to the discussion page

As we discuss and agree upon other expectations we can add them to this list.

• One definition of a living wage is twice the amount of the current legal minimum wage. (In 2009 minimum wage in Oregon will be $8.40, twice that is $16.80, and we currently make $11.55.) This definition of a living wage will be used as one (long term) goal for staff compensation.
• Salaries of all collective members are calculated using the same hourly rate.
• We will strive to hire and allocate work so that no one needs to work more hours on average than they are paid for.
• All collective workers are required to have a job description.
• All collective workers are required to set goals.
• All collective workers are required to report all the hours that they work.
• We, as the Collective, strive to give workers a flexible schedule.
• At a "Fifth Friday" staff collective meeting on July 31, 2009, we approved several items. These will need to be:
  1. reorganized (including the above points),
  2. combined to avoid duplication,
  3. reworded for clarity, and
  4. finally approved by the staff collective.
  • But in principle we are in agreement on what is laid out here:

The "Max Headroom" proposal

(This is pending board inclusion in the budget.)

• Staff collective members are considered salaried workers.
• Our scheduled hours are based on a "floor" number, which is our (current) hours (37 for the full timers).
• Our salary will be based on "ceiling" number (47/30 times the floor, rounded off).
• It is OK to work any number of hours between the floor and ceiling hours.
• Overtime hours must be authorized by the HR committee.
• Overtime hours will be considered anything over our ceiling number.
• Authorized overtime will be paid at time and a half of the regular salary.
• Unauthorized overtime is only paid at time and a half if it legally required to do so.
• Unauthorized overtime carries a penalty of (2 hours unpaid leave for each unauthorized hour worked).

Items derived from the General Questions for Collective Reviews document

A collective member at Free Geek ...

• arrives on time or calls if going to be late.
• is efficient and makes good use of time.
• uses the phone, socializes, and takes breaks at appropriate times.
• is aware of safety on the job.
• leaves volunteer-inhabited areas clean and ready for next shift.
• actively participates in meetings.
• is a reliable member of standing committee.
• puts the interests of Free Geek before personal interests while working.
• makes volunteers and donors feel welcome, actively reaches out.
• actively involves volunteers in appropriate projects.
• is courteous and friendly.
• listens to volunteers/donors and tries to meet their needs.
• communicates effectively with other staff/core concerning needs of his/her area.
• accurately assesses her/his own abilities and constraints when taking on commitments.
• follows through with commitments.
• gives and receives constructive criticism.
• communicates directly to solve conflict.
• appropriately uses the standard tools Free Geek has available to do her/his job. (These tools might include email lists, RT, the wiki, bulletin boards, etc.)
• offers a safe space to communicate if issues arise.
• integrates into the whole of FG.
• sets goals.
• contributes to other areas of FG, presuming s/he has time.

Items derived from Job Descriptions

A collective member ...

• is a volunteer coordinator of some sort or another.
• attends meetings as necessary.
• learns procedures for other parts of Free Geek and fill in as necessary.
• participates in collective management structure.
• has basic computer knowledge (use of web browser, email and word processor, database and spreadsheet).
• is able to multi-task.
• is able to work in a consensus decision making process related to staff and policy issues.
• is patient and courteous with the public.
• is able to work with and coordinate volunteers with a wide range of skills and experience.
• is able to work in an informal, friendly environment with a diverse staff.
• works well under stress in an unusual setting, maintaining a positive attitude even in the face of adversity.
• is not afraid to ask questions.
• but is able to work on projects almost entirely without supervision.
• is self-motivated.
• is able to remain flexible as Free Geek grows and changes.
• is able to work well under stress in a somewhat chaotic setting and maintain a positive attitude.
• is be afraid to ask questions but will be able to upkeep the area almost entirely without supervision.
• is able to remain flexible as Free Geek grows and changes.
• participates in a peer review process.
• is an active member of the committee(s) that relate to his/her job.

Also agreed to at 7/31/2009 Meeting

• To remain on the staff collective, one must work at least 28 hours a week, but one can temporarily (with defined end) drop to 24 with staff collective approval. This applies to all staff collective members except Kathie Hitchcock who is "grandmothered" in and works less than that now.

• Meetings, committee membership, floor shifts, and undesirable jobs are all work items that should be shared amongst all collective members. While it's unlikely that we can divide these tasks up using an exact number of hours or percentage per collective member, we agree that there is a (currently unidentified) range of acceptable workload for each of these items.