15-B Insider -- December 2004

Are we the only ones? It seems that bargaining in the 15-B area has been protracted for many associations. Marion EA has remained unsettled since July of 2003, and they have been on the crisis list for some time. Cadillac EA has been at the table since August 2004. Mesick EA has also been bargaining since the summer, and will be going to mediation shortly. However, we are not the only ones.

Bargaining has been crawling along very slowly all over the State. Only 23% of MEA’s associations have a settled contract. This leaves close to 52,000 members who began their year without a contract. With the financial state of education, the school districts are looking for ways to reduce costs - and it is falling squarely on the shoulders of teachers and support staff.

Across the State, 124 EA and ESP units have been without new contracts for more than a year. Twenty six (26) of these associations are on MEA’s critical bargaining list. Locals are put on the list when efforts to reach a contract stall, or when bargaining becomes protracted and unproductive.

In Lakewood, where salary and benefits remain key issues, EA bargaining team members continue to offer proposals that will save the district money. A bargaining team member stated that "but the board keeps rejecting them. We’ll have to bleed for the other side to agree to anything." Teachers and

community members are upset over a board proposal to save money by closing elementary schools while granting the superintendent a 3% pay raise in each of the next three years.

Prior to the board meeting, more than 100 teachers and support staff members, who were joined by MEA Executive Director, Chuck Anderson, and Secretary-Treasurer, Steve Cook, picketed in the cold to express their dissatisfaction that Lakewood EA and ESP units have worked without contracts since June 2003.

I think the next question is … will it get any better? As my mother used to say, "This too shall pass". So the answer is: "You can make it better by staying organized; not settling for bad contracts; and hanging in when things get tough." There are many associations in 15-B that have personally experienced the tough bargaining.

This is not the first time things are not rosy. According to a past Insider article, "... most of the districts here have been turning a profit for years, and … most of the 15-B districts had fund equities that went up over 5% between 1997 and 1998, with McBain’s going up almost 13%. Does anyone recall getting a 5% raise that year? The school boards did not share when they were turning the big profits, and it might be really unfair for them to whine now. That doesn’t mean they won’t!"

Dec. 8-10 Northern Zone Staff Meeting – Office Closed
Dec. 10 Privatization Workshop - RSVP
Dec. 20 - Jan. 3 Happy Holidays - Office Closed
Jan. 3-11 Cyndi on vacation
Jan. 10 Coordinating Council Meeting – OPIE packets handed out
 

With schools reducing costs by laying off staff, cutting student programs and outsourcing services, bargainers need to be informed, skilled, organized and understand the nuts and bolts of bargaining. So, how do you get informed? You need to attend the 2005 MEA Bargaining, Political Action & Public Relations Conference. There are scores of sessions to choose from that will broaden your knowledge and sharpen your skills.

More than a dozen of these sessions are certified for SB-CEUs and/or Michigan ESP Center for Professional Learning (MECPL) credits. Sessions cover the spectrum from bargaining to politics to public opinion, which are the three critical areas where you must be effective advocates for the students and members. You’ll also pick up valuable insider tips from the pros.

Early registration is $245 if postmarked by December 10, 2004. After December 10^th, registration will be $275. If you have questions or need the forms, please call the Cadillac MEA office.

"My job is to make sure teachers concentrate on teaching; food service workers on feeding children; and office personnel on caring for children and parents." That’s how Martin Meyers, head custodian in Idaho and NEA ESP of the Year 2003, sees his job.

In more ways than imaginable, custodial and maintenance employees make a profound impact on students and student achievement every day. To understand this impact, we need to know what custodial/maintenance employees do.

NEA considers the following classifications to fall under the custodial/maintenance category: Building and grounds staff, housekeepers, and mechanics and warehouse personnel. Custodial and maintenance employees make up 9% of NEA/ESP members. That equates to 30,000 people. More than 93% of custodial/maintenance employees work full-time. Sixty-one percent of custodial/maintenance employees regularly attend professional development training each year. Wages for more than 67% of custodial and maintenance employees are paid on an hourly basis.

Custodians sweep, mop and wax 31 billion square feet of floors in public schools per year. Building and grounds staff mows 7.1 million acres of public school grounds per year. These employees are the "guardians of the school environment" for students, staff and the community. (Courtesy of mea.org)

Section 38.83a of the Teachers' Tenure Act states that probationary teachers will get an individualized development plan (IDP) if they are not in their first probationary year. They will also have at least an annual year-end performance evaluation each year based on at least two classroom observations held at least 60 days apart. They will be assessed on their progress in meeting the goals of the IDP.

Your mentor and association reps and leaders are around to make sure these provisions are followed, but they are also available to make sure you receive a fair and objective evaluation. You can help the association help you by following these tips: