To Take a Pay Freeze...

[frae]

Ok, I don't have all the details yet as we don't have our union meeting until Monday, but I can tell you that I fully expect that this meeting is to tell us that the school district has asked us to take a pay freeze. We are currently under contract through 2014.

If we are asked I fully expect the vote to accept it, but I am quite frustrated by this. Our contract was just signed last year. The district has just invested over a million dollars into renovations to middle school fields. Construction on renovations to both middle schools will just be wrapping up this summer. We are have been rated the top school district in the region for 6 or 7 years running now.

To me the district asking us to do this is like your wife/girlfriend asking if this dress makes her look fat. There is only one acceptable answer even if it isn't the answer we want to give. I am sure the framing will be that we either do this or jobs will be lost so we will do it.

First meeting will be Monday to tell the proposal and take Q and A. Second meeting Weds will be pros/cons open mic. It should be depressing and upsetting. Anyway I am rambling and upset so I will stop.

[schlesinj]

What is the estimated reduction in revenues does your District expect to lose with the State funding cuts? I am working with a District this is going to lose $19 million this year.

School Boards/administration can do so much at this point. Tax revenues can only go above the index, which is currently 2.9% (except for a few exceptions like Special Ed and some debt). They can not stop the construction projects and all the debt is funded. Health Care and PESRS are killing Districts. Has your District asked people to retire early for the lump payment yet (before June 30)?

I feel for both teachers and administration. You are going to have to work together. You are lucky you have your contract through 2014. In this economy, I assume the bargaining is going to be very tough for contracts that are up.

If it means anything several Districts in Berks County have already accepted the payfreeze, so you are not alone.

This is what Gov Mifflin just did, maybe some middle ground. They are a AA rated District in a wealthy area.

[billbuckner]

[frae]

What is the estimated reduction in revenues does your District expect to lose with the State funding cuts? I am working with a District this is going to lose $19 million this year.

School Boards/administration can do so much at this point. Tax revenues can only go above the index, which is currently 2.9% (except for a few exceptions like Special Ed and some debt). They can not stop the construction projects and all the debt is funded. Health Care and PESRS are killing Districts. Has your District asked people to retire early for the lump payment yet (before June 30)?

I feel for both teachers and administration. You are going to have to work together. You are lucky you have your contract through 2014. In this economy, I assume the bargaining is going to be very tough for contracts that are up.

If it means anything several Districts in Berks County have already accepted the payfreeze, so you are not alone.

This is what Gov Mifflin just did, maybe some middle ground. They are a AA rated District in a wealthy area.

Are expected shortfall was 1.5 million or at least that is the figure I can find quoted in a few articles. I know there aren't a lot of options to fill the void, but it doesn't make me feel any better. We have a contract that we just signed and now we are likely going to be making changes to it. We just negotiated and made concessions on things that aren't strictly money issues, longer work day, more in service days, added an extra step on the contract to get to the top, etc. To my knowledge they have not offered an early retirement lump sums yet. Anyway I don't actually expect a lot of sympathy and financially can deal with it as my raise would have been about $1,500. If I was on either jump step, about $15K, I would be irate that I now had to wait another year on the only real significant pay raise of your career.

[schlesinj]

I certainly feel sympathy. It is a tough spot for everyone. The Districts were living off the state funding and ARRA funds (which they knew would go away) the last few years and they get it ripped away after they decide on teachers contracts, construction and school programs. Then the Districts have to adjust and all this happens before they even know officially how the state is going reduce revenues. On top of that the item they used to control (raising taxes) is now limited due to Act 1.

It is a combination of a revenue and expense problem and there is no right answer. Do you cut programs or staffing?

[frae]

I certainly feel sympathy. It is a tough spot for everyone. The Districts were living off the state funding and ARRA funds (which they knew would go away) the last few years and they get it ripped away after they decide on teachers contracts, construction and school programs. Then the Districts have to adjust and all this happens before they even know officially how the state is going reduce revenues. On top of that the item they used to control (raising taxes) is now limited due to Act 1.


It is a combination of a revenue and expense problem and there is no right answer. Do you cut programs or staffing?

As of now they are not letting anyone go, but they are not replacing the 10 people who either are actually retiring or have decided to not come back from their leave (usually maternity). So 10 positions are lost, but no one was fired. Program wise the budget isn't final yet as we (the teachers) don't know what the proposal to us is so it could hinge on us accepting it. There has also been talk of students paying a flat fee for the extra programs they are in. Budget isn't final until sometime in June so I guess anything is in play until then.

[schlesinj]

Yeah, I have read about Districts asking families to kick in either a flat fee for sports. Ultimately, that saves a few $100k I guess.

The big issue here is getting rid of full day kindergarten.

[frae]

Yeah, I have read about Districts asking families to kick in either a flat fee for sports. Ultimately, that saves a few $100k I guess.

The big issue here is getting rid of full day kindergarten.

The district I teach and live in are both already half day Kindergarten districts.

[Stephen]

We are have been rated the top school district in the region for 6 or 7 years running now.

Did this make anyone else giggle?

Sorry to make light of the situation though Frae. It's an unfortunate situation for you and I'm sorry you have to deal with it.

[frae]

Did this make anyone else giggle?

Sorry to make light of the situation though Frae. It's an unfortunate situation for you and I'm sorry you have to deal with it.

haha i am laughing now too. I don't teach English if it makes you feel any better, just video and TV production

[Trautdiggity]

Did this make anyone else giggle?

Sorry to make light of the situation though Frae. It's an unfortunate situation for you and I'm sorry you have to deal with it.

All your education are belong to us

[virgonomic]

All your education are belong to us

Nice. I was fumbling to find something like this.

There are rumblings of a provincial employee salary freeze in Ontario when our contract ends on August 31, 2012. I am due for raises September 1, 2012 and 2013 at which point I would reach the maximum salary with 11y of teaching experience.

Our union is going to fight the freeze and seek other compensation if the freeze does take effect. It will really suck if maxing out is postponed for 2 years.

[Judge Jude]

I hope you guys come out in good shape on all this, I really do.

That said, as someone who works in the private sector, I feel like this is a different country I'm reading about.

I understand about having a contract, and took this job for the security, and in the past could have made more money elsewhere, and so on. Seriously, I do. I have no problem accepting every word of that, to the point of even saying it would be very unfair to have to take a salary freeze.

But in the war zone I live in, people are doing spectacular work and still getting laid off, taking pay cuts, and getting unpaid furloughs 2-3 times a year. No job security, no seniority, nowhere to file a grievance for unfair treatment. "At will" employees.

We're living in a completely different reality, and have been since 2008, in the world that I know.

Again, I'm not trying to disrespect you guys at all, in fact I appreciate and need your perspective. It's just that I also think I now appreciate a bit more the chasm that has opened up between public and private sector workers.

I'd much prefer that nobody be going through this stuff now, too - I have no great love for the "efficiency" of the private sector, believe me. It's crazy.

We're in a messy spot right now, in terms of the American economy. How the hell did we get here?

[frae]

Jude the hardest thing for me is that when or I guess if the economy rebounds the private sector tends to respond to that and employees can get increased salaries. I am only speaking for teaching contracts here, but whenever you are negotiating with an elected school board that needs property taxes to help pay salaries they are always hesitant to give back anything you give away in a previous negotiation whether that be in terms of salary or benefits. I know I have worked without fear of losing my job during this economic down turn, but if the economy turns around will people be ok with teachers getting a part of that? I tend to think that a lot of the public will never be ok with that.

[Judge Jude]

"if the economy turns around will people be ok with teachers getting a part of that?"

honestly, not in the early going.

fair or not, the vibe will be "we suffered more, so we need to rebound first."

the whole "us vs. them" thing is hideous, anyway, but it's where we are, pretty much.

teachers and other public employees are in such a tough spot.
would be easy for me to say, "Hey, make concessions now, avoid the public's ill will, and they'll appreciate it down the road."

but as you say, what if they have short memories?

so maybe a middle ground is the best tactic - make some concessions, but just to the point where you gain the good will.