Welcome to the latest National Negotiations Update. Currently there aren't any districts on strike that I am aware of, but I have made some job action additions and corrections to StrikeWatch on the right. If you don't see your local on this list, please contact me at drhomeslice (at) hotmail. com .
AlaskaAnchorage- the Anchorage Education Association stormed the school board meeting. There were so many of them that the
Anchorage police were called. An arbitrator's report is expected soon, and it will not be binding-- simply an opinion.
CaliforniaBakersfield- The Bakersfield Union crashed the school board, protesting the transfer of a principal (go figure) and
demanding a contract settlement. A mediator is supposed to come back March 7.
Campbell- Campbell Union High School District teachers are working to the rule, and have been for
quite some time.
Everywhere- The
California Faculty Association's executive board has agreed to put a vote to the rank and file on whether or not they want to begin job actions (which includes the possibility of a strike). This would occur on all of the campuses of California State University.
San Bernardino- Teachers at Big Bear Lake have been working under their expired 2005 contract. Negotiations are
not going well.
San Mateo- San Mateo Union High School District isn't moving fast enough on their contract negotiations with their teachers, so
teachers from three other school districts with them. You may remember this is the district that changed the amount of money they were taking out of the teachers' paychecks in the middle of negotiations. The union appealed to PERB and their complaint was upheld.
Santa Barbara- The teachers' union got a 3% raise retroactively through the 2008-2009 school year in the
tentative contract agreement this past week. Coming to an agreement now prevented the district and union from having to endure fact finding with PERB.
Illinois Elgin- Elgin Community College are picketing and will be meeting with a mediator. If the meeting doesn't work out, they will file a
10 day strike notice. It's the first time they've done that since 2001, the only strike in their local's history.
Dixon- The Dixon Education Association approved a 4 year contract. Lots of details
here.
IndianaSouth Bend-
Cassopolis Schools Education Association ratified their contract, a two year deal retroactive to this school year. The most interesting part of the contract was the raise. Teachers will receive a 1% increase this year and a 2% increase next year. However, raising insurance rates will decrease the teachers' raise. Here's how: If insurance costs raise no more that 5%, the teachers' raise will not be affected. For each percent above 5% of an increase in health care costs, .1% will be subtracted from the teachers' raise. With health care rising each year in double digits (or very close to that) they will probably see at lease half a percent of the raise go to some insurer somewhere.
MassachusettsStoneham- For almost a year, the Stoneham Teachers' Association has been trying to get a
new contract negotiated.MichiganLansing- The school board unanimously
approved the contract. Now we can put this sucker to bed. (See past NNU's for info on this local).
Northville- The Northville Education Association's contract expired in September of this past year, and negotiations have not been productive. The school district asked for fact finding, but it won't begin until the
end of the school year (with one week left) in June. There's a great explanation of what fact-finding is attached to this article.
New JerseyPequannock-- Pequannock Township Education Association has asked for a mediator after the decision to hold
contract negotiation sessions open to the public. They will not be broadcast over public television, but that is a later possibility.
PennsylvaniaEverywhere- The Bulletin follows the
recent legislative attempts to outlaw teacher strikes.
Philadelphia- City College of Philadephia's union does a
practice strike.
Coraopolis- The 65 member union
rejected the latest Board contract offer and also approved strike authorization, though they have not set a date yet.
Rhode IslandProvidence- As contracts expire between unions and school boards, at some point eventually they will be folded into a
statewide teacher contract. Interesting. However, given the fact that Rhode Island is exactly half the size of my backyard, I wonder how many different unions will be affected? (My backyard's not that big, by the way.)
VermontBellows Falls- The Windham Northeast Education Association is awaiting a fact-finding report that their school board can use to impose a contract on the union. The union has responded that if a contract is imposed upon them they have
no option other than to strike.
