This just in from a Boston Teacher Union bunker meeting....

Steve blogs about a secret meeting at his school where he and other concerned teachers asked the question "What now?" and "What if we...". He had a thoughtful earlier post about striking from almost a month ago. I can't believe I didn't see it. Read it here.

For the latest on teacher union strikes or negotiations, click here.

National Negotiations Update for the week ending 2/2/07

This is an update from the past week regarding negotiations all over the nation. My district's not negotiating this year, but all of this job action type stuff makes me want to join a march or something.

For the latest on teacher union strikes or negotiations, click here.

California
In at CSU (California State University) Monterey Bay, profs shouldered their pickets and marched the quad this past Wednesday. Union Librarian has more here.

San Mateo Teacher's Association picketed their schools and district office after they reached an impasse in negotiations. The district also tried to increase teachers' medical costs prior to the official reach of impasse. The union filed an unfair labor practice and won and PERB declared in favor of the teacher's union. More on the ULP/ PERB ruling here.

Indiana
West Lafayette teachers didn't think their negotiations were going well, so they put an ad out in their local paper.

Massachusetts
In Watertown, Massachusetts the teacher's union marched on their town hall. In true New England fashion, they didn't start chanting slogans or shoulder their pickets until they could see the whites of their opponents' eyes. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Michigan
In Lansing, Michigan the teachers are out in full force. They're picketing the administration building after voting down a contract proposal last week.

Pennsylvania
Negotiations are certainly going on Pennsylvania right now. There are 2 on strikewatch as we speak. This one seems to be going a bit better.

(2/4) Rochester Area School district teachers, cafeteria workers and the like will be going on strike on Monday at 12:01 AM. Read about it here. Change in plan, read more about it here.

What is up with Pennsylvania? It seems as if every district and their mother is in negotiations right now. Perhaps it's regulated by state law. Anyhow, this union in this district wants negotiations open to the public, while the school board says "No, we don't negotiate in public."


Wisconsin
Orfordville's Parkview Schools Education Association is currently working to the rule due to the fact that negotiations have failed and they have been without a contract for three years.

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Negotiation House of Horrors!

Whew....I'm glad I don't have to deal with the frustration King City Joint Union HSD is causing their teachers' association.

What do I mean?



First, if you go to their website it looks like one school district, but is actually two: one for the high school and one for the elementary.


So anyhow, the KCHSTA (High School Teacher's Association) started salary negotiations in 2000.

1. The union began to negotiatiate in good faith.


2. Despite setbacks, they kept negotiations going.


3. The negotiations stalled.


4. The union started working to the rule.


5. Back to the bargaining table, but then the negotiations stall again.


6. The Union alleges to PERB (Public Employees Relations Board) and PERB (gasp) agrees. In fact, PERB believed that the district owed the union $5 million in back pay over the past 5 years (the ruling was reached in the fall of 2005).


7. Awarding that amount to teachers would have automatically paved the way for the state to take over the district (only a $15 million budget per year) so the teacher's union generously agreed to lower their compensation to $1.2 million. (Keep in mind that if the district were negotiating in good faith and committed to resolving these issues amicably, that they wouldn't have to deal with 3 years of back pay and retroactive raises.)


8. Shortly after the agreement was reached, someone in the district office provided the names of the highest paid teachers and what they would get retroactively. Keep in mind that much of that information is wrong. Some might call the release of that information "leaking", but it is public information. Of course, we know that it was done simply to make teachers look overpaid; something I don't think is possible.
   

The teachers of KCJUHSD (man, what an acronym) should be getting their retroactive money in about two months or so, but are you ready for the kicker?

All this is only good through the end of the 2007-2008 school year. Then they have to start negotiations all over again.

Patience, thy name is King City High School Teachers Association.

(Words by Dr. Homeslice, Artwork above "Negotiation" by David Ross.)

For the latest on teacher union strikes or negotiations, click here.

Close call for Millcreek!

Millcreek Education Association struck a deal with the board last night, averting a strike by one day. They have thusly been moved to the "strike averted" category on the Strikewatch board.

I've been getting some interesting emails from you folks out there about what's going on with you. Keep 'em coming, I will be adding bits and pieces to strikewatch and the main page as well. Confidentiality is assured. drhomeslice (at) hotmail.com is where you can reach me.

Oh, and thanks to Ed an' all the nice folks over at AFT for the mention in 'Labor Blogs' on Let's Get It Right!