School Board President Ritchie Webb released the following comments earlier today concerning last night's negotiation meeting with the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers (NFT):"The board and NFT met last night [June 3, 2010] for approximately two hours. We had some positive dialog and managed to set another meeting June 30th. The Board provided the NFT with an update of our previous proposal with no changes. There was no counter proposal given to the board by NFT."
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13 comments:
William,
While I am glad that they are talking some questions are popping up in my mind?
If they sign this contract, what year will it be up? Also is the pay and health care both retro along with the payout for anyone who retired in the last 2 years? Meaning that the health care payment would be taken out of any pay along with the lump sum of any who retired?
Tiredparent, The Board has been clear since the very beginning that there will be no retro pay. When a new labor agreement is signed, it will take effect with whatever school year is in process.
Thanks William! That is what I thought but the rumor mill was up and running. thought it was better to get it cleared up sooner than later.
They're not scheduled to meet again, apparently, until June 30. If (vain hope though it seems) an agreement were reached then by the negotiating teams, could it be ratified by the board before September (I don't think the Board normally meets during July or August?)? If a contract were ratified by both sides over the summer (or even during the Board's first meeting of 2010-11) when would it become effective? July 1 or September or somewhere in between?
Does no retro pay mean anything prior to the date signed or just anything before this school year?
For example if the NFT walked in and signed the current offer tomorrow, would they get all of the pay they would have been owed going back to this past September?
Negotiate: (from Miriam Webster online Dictionary) to confer with another so as to arrive at the settlement of some matter; to deal with (some matter or affair that requires ability for its successful handling).
Mr. O'Connor, your posting stated that the Board provided a proposal with NO changes to the Union. Is the Board willing to negotiate a contract that the Board and the Union could agree on? I only ask, because I have heard Mr. Webb state on MANY occasions that the Board has made the NFT their offer. It sounds as if Mr. Webb is saying that the Board's position is "take it or leave it". I have spoken with MANY other friends in the District who also believe that this is the District's position. Could you clarify this, Mr. O'Connor? Is the Board's position take it or leave it, or are they willing to negotiate on the issues? Thanks!
Oh, and before you get bombarded with a flood of posts, I would like to state that I would also pose this question to the NFT as well. HOWEVER, since this is Mr. O'Connor's blog, and because he is a Board member, I am really interested in hearing the Board's position on this....unless, of course, Ms. Boyd or Ms. Schmidt would like to respond regarding the NFT's position ;)
While I do think June 30 is along time between negotiating sessions, I understand that it is the end of the year and both sides are probably regrouping after latest discussion and recent events. I do hope that both sides do begin to negotiate in earnest (meet weekly) after that and hammer out a deal.
Retro pay will invariably come up in any negotiation/settlement. I assume William is stating the board's current position as he has stated "all things are on the table". For some, retro pay may be a more volatile issue than contribution towards healthcare benefits.
Here is to hoping for rapid conclusion to this ordeal!
William, Has the board already agreed on no retro for 2009-2010 school year? I did not hear that.
Also folks do not get too excited on no retro since it almost always in fact I think it is always in PA gets reinstated in the final negotiations. It becomes a lever for the board to get a Union signature in the end. It then becomes a huge hit to that year's budget. Do you think Boyd can face her members without getting retro pay after 2-3 years. Never happen.
William,
You keep drawing a line in the sand - "there will be no retro pay" - you believe that the entire community is behind you - just curious how you will feel next year when the Union strikes because the board will not negotiate?? Will that be best for our community? I am a taxpayer, and frankly I would like less bickering and more brokering.
The following comment submitted by DPM was edited for content.
Just a word of advice people, without these and other teachers you would not be where you are today and your children will end up on a street corner with a change bucket! You people treat these teachers poorly. Maybe the millions in debt Neshaminy has compiled should come back on the board who spends that money and not the people teaching our children how to read and write. I see and hear how some parents are treating these teachers and you should be ashamed. Let me know where you work so i can come yell and scream at you because you want a signed contract that tells you what you get payed [sic] and where you can go to the doctors when your children get sick! You all make me ill. Leave the politics aside and think about how you are treating your neighbors!
The following comment submitted by Ivy League was edited for content.
Mr. O... Please tell me how any of this public ranting has improved the negotiations process.
Some community activists need to be MUZZLED. Negotiations happen all the time in their world, you know the world they live in: Corporate greed...where they and others earn money off labor's blood, sweat and tears.
I doubt highly any big-shot executive would negotiate multi-million dollar deals and allow every stakeholder to weigh in. They will not be happy until they "TAKE BACK AMERICA", which means ruining public education.
Did the board pass a policy where they will allow all negotiations to be made public without us knowing? The answer must be yes since the ENTIRE board has not only allowed this public melee, you have PERSONALLY fueled it.
So...since "transparency" is the new policy with everything, please tell us how the sale of Neshaminy Middles school is going. Please provide copies of every offer, dates you have met, interested parties, EVERYTHING. Then set up a blog where everyone can jump on and complain and demand.
Why hasn't it sold? Is the NSD afraid to be in the black?
SHAME ON ALL OF YOU. And you call the NFT bullies.
WE GET IT... THE TAXPAYERS WANT A ZERO.
Can we move on now? How will you ever restore honor back to our community?
4 things.
1. Unfortunately it is common knowledge that American Education has been and is being ruing by greed driven unions that refuse any accountability.
2. Thank you God for School Board transparency. Every board (and several recent now departed SB directors) were in the tank with the Union for the last 20 years. One only has to look at the 2002 CBA. This board is outstanding in its fight for students first and taxpayers.
3. The current board offer is unaffordable so as you say on FB William, "be careful about any kind of middle ground". It is clearly time for concessions not more goodies for the union bully.
4. The NSD budget is now 80% labor cost with no money to invest since 10 years of excessive labor contract cost has resulted n $22M in deficits. If labor does not concede this time NSD education will be gutted for the foreseeable future further ruining American education. Now whose fault is that, taxpayers or greedy teachers that have reached affluence in Middletown on the backs of taxpayers?
IL, As everyone in business that handles big budgets knows, when a building sells it can only be included in capital budget and used for capital projects(also by PA budget law). It does not change the expense budget(can't be added to it) that Labor comes under so therefore it does not offest the operational deficits caused by significntly overpriced NESPA and NFT union labor. Same applies to sale of buses. However it can be used for much needed building improvements the district has not had money for since taxes have been limited.
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