15-B Insider -- December 2003

Cyndi Austin  caustin@mea.org Uniserv Director
Judy A. Pullen  jpullen@mea.org Uniserv Secretary

 

Similar issues in bargaining - all over the State!

Ah….the holidays! Life can be maddening during this season of tinsel, parties, shiny presents under the tree and bargaining. I know - that doesn’t exactly go with cookies and eggnog, but the bargaining is still going on around our council. With similar stories of prolonged bargaining going on around the State, we need to take a deep breath and get our second wind and move forward. We need not apologize for bargaining fair and equitable contracts, because bargaining ensures good working conditions for school employees and ensures good learning conditions for students.

The collective bargaining process brings about changes such as smaller class size and higher student standards that are wanted by school employees, parents and the community; and it anchors those issues in our labor agreements (MEA, 2003).

The current issues facing the units in 15-B are wages and the ever present insurance "caps". School districts across the State are trying to shift the cost of health insurance to members by proposing "caps". "In the past, school districts offered us health insurance in lieu of salaries. Now they’re asking us to forego raises and pay for health insurance we’ve got in lieu of salaries," said Lu Battaglieri, MEA president.

Taking a cap as a trade-off for a higher salary erodes overall employee compensation and is a reduction of benefits. For example, a district in western Michigan is proposing members pay $121 a month for their health insurance on top of their deductibles and co-pays. That works out to $1,452 annually. For new teachers making $30,000, this concession effectively would roll back their salary by 5 percent. On average statewide, school districts that have caps on their employees’ insurance premiums have fund equity balances that are 13 percent higher than school districts without caps. In some districts, employees are taking on the burden of the health care costs and school districts are banking the money, increasing their general fund balances annually. School districts bargain caps to increase their savings, not because they can’t afford health care premiums.

Wages is the other issue bogged down at the table. Districts are holding up negotiations and pleading poverty while at the same time they are stockpiling record surpluses in the bank. MEA statewide bargaining consultant, Stan Burnell, sees concerted efforts "to perpetuate the myth that our school districts are in deep financial trouble." Burnell further states: "There’s no excuse for districts to ask our members to take wage freezes or to accept downgrades or premium payments on health insurance, especially with districts banking large amounts of reserves."

So what’s the latest news on fund balances in 15-B? Look below to see where your school district ranks:

District
Name

Change in Fund Balance in 2002/03

2002/03
unreserved GF
Balance as %
of operating
expenses

2003/04 pupils

Cadillac

(2,022,391)

 16.4%

3,477

Manton

(55,703)

 3.7%

1,033

Mesick

(68,264)

 41.3%

932

Evart

80,770

 22.8%

1,253

Marion

(291,924)

 26.2%

756

McBain

17,687

 34.3%

1,099

Pine River

(226,052)

 24.1%

1,362

Don’t let your will roar when your power only whispers. – Thomas Fuller

BARGAINING UPDATE

Settled: Cadillac EA; Manton EA & ESP; Pine River EA; Pine River ESP

Bargaining 2003-04: TAS of Cadillac; Evart EA, ESP and Transportation; Marion EA & Transportation; Wexford-Missaukee ISD

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Dec 17 ABC (Area Bargaining Council) meeting – Osceola Inn - Reed City
Dec 22 Jan 4 MEA office closed for holidays (Call office and leave a message in case of emergency.)
Jan 7 Parapro Roundtable Workshop – must RSVP
Jan 12 Coordinating Council Meeting – MEA office; 7:07 p.m

 

Cash for Kids

Our "official" Cash for Kids campaign is over, and the drawing for the incentives was held at the November Coordinating Council/PAC meeting. Mark Kassuba of the Pine River EA and Donna Sayer of the Cadillac ESP were winners of the top prizes (rolling luggage sets filled with lots of "goodies.") Bea Rayle of the Pine River ESP won the second place prize - a Northwest backpack also filled with "goodies." Evart Transportation Professionals received special recognition for having 100% of their membership contributing to Cash for Kids!! Way to go, Evart!! They also qualify to send one member of their association to the Bargaining Conference with all expenses paid. A special recognition certificate will be presented to the Evart Transportation Professionals and also to the Pine River EA for having all of their executive board, including their Coordinating Council delegates and Cash for Kids Captains, contributing to Cash for Kids. Congratulations to Sue Maskill of Pine River and Pam Bowers of Evart for all of their hard work.

Thank you to each of you who have made a contribution to Cash for Kids this year – whether large or small. Every contribution is appreciated and important! In order to have a part in determining policies made by our elected officials (from local school boards to the Governor of the State), it takes money. These people are the ones who influence your salary, your medical coverage, certification requirements, your retirement benefits, school funding, length of school day/year and much more. Their decisions affect all of us. Remember – our Cash for Kids success is measured by your involvement. There is still time to make a contribution. Contact your local treasurer or call the MEA office at (231) 775-6553 or 1(800) 292-1934 for more information. We still have incentives available for any contribution you make.

A Modern Fable

Once upon a time, there were some Association leaders who went to their friends and asked: "Who will come to our meeting?" "I’m to busy!" said the first. "I don’t care!" said the second. "Somebody else will do it!" said the third. Then they went to their friend and asked: "Who will be an officer?" "I’m to busy!" said the first. "I don’t care!" said the second. "Somebody else will do it!" said the third. Not ones to give up, they then asked: "Who will help us negotiate a new contract?" "I’m to busy!" said the first. "I don’t care!" said the second. "Somebody else will do it!" said the third. So the leaders decided to forget the whole thing and they moved to Florida, Texas, and New Jersey. The friends where quite content, since there was nobody to bug them about meetings, committee work or negotiations. And the school board and administration lived happily ever after. The End

Moral of the story (of course): Get involved; stay active; it’s your union!

Smile for the day!

Recently, I was lecturing to my biology class about the structure of the digestive tract--in particular, the large intestine. I mentioned that this organ had other names, such as the colon or the bowels. One young lady, looking rather perplexed, raised her hand and asked, "But isn't Colon Bowels the Secretary of State?" -Marc Sumberg Glastonbury, Connecticut

Copyright © MEA 15-B. All rights reserved.