Schools

Teachers' Union: 'This Is Not Negotiating'

Cary School District 26 has rejected the teachers' union eighth proposal.

Submitted by Dana Cook, on behalf of the Cary Education Association negotiating team.

The Cary teachers and the Board of Education met [Aug. 9] in an attempt to work through the impasse declared by the Board of Education on June 21, 2011.

This meeting was also in response to the board’s rejection of the teachers’ offer to use an unbiased arbitrator to settle the contract.

Find out what's happening in Crystal Lake-Carywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The teachers presented their eighth proposal since negotiations began.

The federal mediator was present to assist in the process.

Find out what's happening in Crystal Lake-Carywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Presented below is this most recent proposal from the Cary teachers.  It should be noted that the teachers’ offer goes far beyond what any other district in the State has conceded in recent contracts.

With the significant savings the Cary teachers have offered through these concessions, the District’s fund balances would be vastly improved.

[Aug. 9] Cary teachers proposed significant movement in the following areas:

  1. Salary – hard freeze for an additional third year.
  2. Insurance – increase employee contribution to 30% for single coverage and also an increased employee contribution for dependent coverage.
  3. Retirement – eliminate the retirement annuity ($20,000)
  4. Retirement – eliminate one year of the 6 percent of deferred compensation benefit
  5. Workday – increase student instructional time by 30 minutes daily (adding the equivalent of 21 additional days of instruction)
  6. Sick Days – remain at current level
  7. Sick Days – eliminate reimbursement for unused days

It was our hope that with the additional concessions offered by the Cary teachers, programs would have been restored and class sizes reduced.

Unfortunately, the Board rejected the teachers’ proposal, declared that we continue to be at “Impasse”, and said that that they had no counter offer for the teachers.  This is not negotiating.

With less than two weeks before the start of school, we are disappointed with the board’s continued unwillingness to show movement off of its original offer. 

The teachers have made a significant effort and have been rebuffed.

The 2011-2012 District 26 budget is balanced, the district just “found” money to rehire 3.5 teachers at the junior high, and the teachers have offered concessions that will total in the millions of dollars over three years. 

It’s time for the Cary 26 School Board to accept this offer from the teachers and let school begin.

 

Submitted by Dana Cook, on behalf of the Cary Education Association negotiating team.


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