Impasse Process Continuing
As stated in
the November 16th Bargaining Update,
USEP declared formal impasse on that day since informal
discussions with District Representatives proved unsuccessful in
moving the Superintendent’s recommendation to the Board to utilize
federal EduJobs bill money for improved compensation for current
employees.
The Union and
District have recently received a listing or “panel” of individuals
who can serve as the Special Magistrate for our impasse hearing.
The required process now involves both parties reviewing,
striking and coming to an agreement on which individual is
acceptable to both sides to serve in this “magistrate” role.
This process will take several days and then the parties will
communicate our mutual choice for this role to the state’s Public
Employee Relations Commission (PERC).
As the impasse
process continues, the District has now scheduled and is conducting
“District Budget” presentations for all schools with a schedule that
runs through February 9th of next year. USEP is reviewing
the recently received power point presentation to ensure that the
content of this presentation is accurate and informational only. We
find it rather coincidental and ironic that these meetings are being
held at the very time the parties have entered into the impasse
process. Is the
objective of these meetings simply to inform staff or to influence
opinion to apply pressure on USEP to “fold?” We trust that the
dedicated teachers and SRP of this district will understand the
position USEP has taken in trying to improve the financial condition
of its members in light of the $14 Million the district has received
from the Federal government.
Finally, USEP
acknowledges that state funding has been insufficient over the past
3 years and may continue into the next budget year. We are not
ignorant to the fact that this has put increased pressures on the
district and schools to do more with less. However, how long should
we agree to put more work on school employees without any increase
in compensation or benefits? In reading the clear and unambiguous
language in the federal “EduJobs Bill,” this new money is to be used
to pay salary and benefits of teachers and other essential
school-based staff “incurred during the 2010-2011” school year.
Therefore, USEP continues to believe that this district should
finally put employees “first” in prioritization and utilize some,
not all, of this federal money for the purpose it was designed to
serve.