Click here to see the actual bargaining update:

CEA Bargaining Update 02-26-08.pdf

Here is a cut and paste version:

First mediation session held today.

 

District makes no effort in mediation to compromise or to find solutions on important issues!!

 

Fact: '07-'08 COLA = 4.53%(this is what CUSD is receiving)

Fact: '07-'08 CA budget is set

Fact: CUSD offer to teachers = 0%

 

Both sides met together and separately with the state mediator and discussed items of importance including Salary and Health and Welfare.

 

CEA made it clear to the district that it was willing to discuss a compromise between CEA's last offer and the district's last offer in November.

 

The District returned with an uncommitted or informal offer of a one-time salary and health and welfare increase.  CEA refused this unsatisfactory offer.

 

What does one-time mean?  One-time money means just that, one time.  The district would increase salaries by whatever percentage was negotiated for that year.  The following year it would decrease by that same amount.

 

For example:         Districts offers       3% for 07-08 (1 time)

                                       Next year        0% COLA

                                                              _______

                                 Your real pay         -3%

 

Why?  Because the 3% increase is only good for the 07-08 school year.  Of course the district still receives the 07-08 COLA money for the coming years and pockets it into its savings account!!!  

What about Health and Welfare?  The district again just wants to increase by $250,000 as a one-time increase, not on-going.  This does not even begin to address the increase in out-of-pocket expenses made by the employees!!

 

What about other contractual issues? 

 

The district continues to hold to the line of "Status Quo;" in fact, going so far as saying:

 

Prep time: Teachers get plenty of time during prep time to accomplish everything.

 

Report cards:  CEA brought up concerns about the Standards Based report cards and the new electronic inputting of report cards.  The District's response was that there is overwhelming support for new report cards and new electronic systems and that everybody "loves it" and there is no need to make adjustments. 

 

5 year evaluation:  District's response is that a new evaluation system was not necessary as teachers are happy with current system.

 

 

What's next?  CEA and CUSD will meet again on Friday February 29^th, 2008.  We hope that both sides can openly talk and try to find compromises to the issues on the table.  We will send out another Bargaining Update after Friday's bargaining session.