Ogden Teachers Rally for Collective Bargaining

Ogden Teachers Rally for Collective Bargaining

Friday, February 26, 2010

House Debates Retirement changes

As I write this entry, the House is debating and voting on the retirement changes. SB43 passed 53-20 and will return to the Senate because of the changes made in the House. Retirees will be able to return after one year of retirement to teach and receive their pension and salary, but no 401k. SB63 is being amended to raise the 401k contribution from 8% to 10% and the other option raised from 1% to 1.5% per service year and add the ability to retire at 60 years, even if you didn't have 35 years. You can listen to the debate by going to the legis

Rick

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Two Retirement Bills Go to the House Floor

In the house committee the reemployment bill (SB43) was changed to allow a teacher to retire and after one year away from the system, be rehired and receive their pension and salary. The current 401k contribution of 14.6% that rehirees receive would be ended for the new rehirees.


No changes were made to SB 63 which changes the system for new hires (after July 1, 2011) to a choice between an 8% 401k contribution or a combination of a 3% 401k and a defined benefit of 1% per each service year (35 years before retiring).

We currently receive a 14.6% contribution to a defined benefit now and a 1.5% 401k contribution.

These two bills now go to the house floor for debate.

It was good to see some changes being made, but we need to put pressure on our representatives to oppose the huge revamping of our retirement system.

Rick

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Jordan Teachers Protest at School Board Meeting

According to Amy Stewart in the Deseret News (http://www.deseretnews.com/) about "500 people showed up for a Jordan School Board Meeting Tuesday night to let their opinions be heard regarding planned budget cuts that include laying off 500 employees." Jordan Education Association is also planning to have teachers outside school buildings with informational signs during parent-teacher conferences. The district is looking at a 30 Million dollar cut due to state cuts and the district split.

Our districts will also be looking at cuts, but we have not heard what they might be.
We will know more by the end of the session.

Two of the retirement bills are on the agenda for the House Retirement Committee today.

Rick

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Legislative Update

The legislature (in an effort to subvert the initiative process)has given preliminary approval to some ethics bills. The bills are much weaker than the initiative. A Dan Jones poll said that Utah voters would support (by 80%) tax increases on tobacco and alcohol. The attempt by Rep. Brad King to raise income taxes on the rich failed (sent back to Rules) and the bill to expand sex education to include contraceptives also failed in committee. We did not see the three retirement bills on the reading calendar in the House. They should appear soon. Contact your representative.

Rick

Monday, February 22, 2010

Retirement Bills go to the House

Now our fight for retirement will be in the House of Representatives. Hopefully we can slow down the bills and see more time to study the problem. Please contact your represenatives by going to www.utea.org and clicking on the Under the Dome logo.

Thanks Rick

Friday, February 19, 2010

Pension Changes Pass First Hurdle in Senate

Sen. Jon Greiner spoke most strongly against the retirement bills on the Senate floor yesterday. Sadly, all three won preliminary approval (they will be brought to a third reading before sending them to the House). Our best chance to defeat them is in the House, even though our Weber legislator Rep. Brad Dee says he will sponsor them. Now is the the time to contact your member of the House and ask them to slow down the process and ask for a task force to study the "shortfall". Go to the www.utea.org website and click on "Under the Dome" to find your legislator and learn how to contact them.

Rick

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Retirement Bills to be voted on today in the Senate

The three Retirement Bills should be debated and voted on this afternoon in the Senate. You can listen to the audio on the legislative website.

Other bills that UEA is monitoring include: SB16-Expands the use of adaptive online testing in place of CRT's, SB77-Restricts association leave by school districts, SB150-Would require the retention of students not reading at grade level, HB42-Allows school districts to extend teacher provisional status to five years. (unecessary)

You can go to www.utea.org and click on the "Under the Dome" for more updates and information.

Rick

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Budget Projections Less Bleak

Headlines in the Salt Lake Tribune today paint a slightly better picture of the budget problems this year. Read at www.sltrib.com

The revenue projections, released yesterday, allow for another $50 Million that the legislature won't have to cut from the budget. That still leaves a lot of holes in the budget (around $700 Million) The big questions to answer still are: Tax Increases (doubtful, unless on cigarettes), Use of the Rainy Day funds (we will get some, but not all), and, of course, cuts to programs, personnel, furlough days, increased class sizes, smaller salaries and other draconian solutions.

We can expect those three retirement bills to see the light of day in the Senate either tomorrow or Friday. Not much hope of stalling them in the Senate, but we hope for some slowing in the House.

Rick

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

SL Tribune Points out Missing Senator at Retirement Hearing

Today's Salt Lake Tribune details the fact that Sen. Jon Greiner failed to attend the retirement committee meeting both Wednesday and Friday. He said that he had other meetings to attend, but then said that he had promised Sen. Liljenquist that he would not vote against the bills in committee. The vote was 3-2 and his vote would have stalled the bill with a 3-3 vote. He did say that he was against two of the three bills. He hopefully will speak and vote against it on the floor of the senate.

Rick

Friday, February 12, 2010

Retirement Committee to discuss bills today at noon

The Senate Retirement and Independent Entitiies Committee will reconvene today at noon. They will continue their debate and testimony of Sen. Liljenquist's bills that would make huge changes to our retirement system. You can go to the legislative website and listen to the audio.


Enjoy your long weekend.
Rick

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Jordan School District Looks at 500 layoffs

KSL.com reported today that the Jordan Board of Education voted to layoff 250 teaching and 250 support and administrative positions to make up the $30 million dollar shortfall by July 1.

They would also increase class sizes by an average of 4 students.

Rick

More updates from the Legislature...

The Senate Retirement committee will continue their discussion of changes to the system on Friday at 12:00. You can listen to the audio by going to the Legislative website and finding the committee.

The Deseret News (www.deseretnews.com) had updates also on the Education budget cuts. "After three hours of debate, mainly arguing whether to make education budget cuts that would affect programs or classrooms, lawmakers put off a final decision until today." Go to the Legislative website and find the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee to listen to the audio. They are trying to cut 5% or $102 Million from the 2011 budget.

Please contact your Senators and Representatives and ask them to slow down on changes to the Retirement system. Go to www.utea.org and click on the "Under the Dome" to contact them.

Rick

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Sen Liljenquist changes "Rehire" SB 43 Bill

A substantial change in SB 43 was made during the committee hearing, Wednesday. Instead of taking the 401k away from those current "rehirees" that would be capped it so it doesn't increase as the contribution rates rise. It would still take away the incentive for new retirees who want to be rehired and receive their pension. His bill would require a retiree to return to "active service" if hired for the first time after July 1, 2010. The pension payment would then be suspended and they would continue to earn service credit. I don't see why anyone would retire and be rehired under this bill.

You can listen to the audio of the committee by going to the Utah State Legislative site (www.le.state.ut.us) and looking for the Senate Retirement and Independent Entities Committee for Wednesday, Feb. 10.

Rick

"Educators Could Soon Receive Pay Based on Student Test Scores"

In Tuesday's Deseret News, www.deseretnews.com, Amy Stewart writes about a resolution sponsored by Rep. Poulson that recommends guidelines for teacher performance pay plans. This is actually a resolution that UEA supported last year after many discussions and a formulation of a position paper on performance pay. The UEA wants to be a part of any discussion of this potentially controversial idea. There are plans around the nation (Minnesota and Denver for example) where the association has worked to put together plans for differentiated pay. We need to be at the table, or the legislature will pass something unhealthy. This resolution helps set some guidelines.

Go to www.utea.org for updates on legislation.

Rick

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

UEA Rallies to slow down retirement changes

Retirement bills that would change our retirement system for new hires after July1, 2011 are being introduced in the Senate by Sen. Liljenquist of Bountiful. The UEA, USEA, UPEA and Fraternal Order of Police gathered last Saturday to ask the legislature to "Slow down" and look more closely at any changes. The bills would also take away the 1.5% 401k contribution that all teachers receive. Rehirees would also lose the ability to receive their pension and a 14.6% 401k.

The UEA is distributing lawn signs and talking point on our new Public Relations plan. Ask your rep about getting one of the signs and listen to KSL Radio for our spots.

Thanks for your support.
Rick

Monday, February 8, 2010

4,000 Rally at the State Capitol

The weather cooperated and we had a very successful "Retirement Rally", Saturday at the State Capitol. OEA and WEA were well represented at the demonstration. Members from the public employees and police were also there is large numbers. The press coverage was positive and the message was "Go slow on changing our retirement". The bills should be hitting committees this week. Stay tuned by following the bills at www.utea.org "Under the Dome".

Rick

Friday, February 5, 2010

Come join us at the Capitol for the Retirement Rally

Please join UEA members at the Capitol, Saturday (tomorrow) at 11:00 AM. We will meet on the south side of the capitol to receive instructions and our signs. We will be joined by the members of the Classified union (USEA) ,the public employees union (UPEA) and the Fraternal Order of Police. The retirement issue is important to us and we need to show our support.

The newspaper announced that the bills will start through the process next week.

Rick

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Check out the "Under the Dome" site at www.utea.org

For daily updates and help in contacting your legislator, go to www.utea.org and click on the "Under the Dome" logo. The lobby team gives daily updates and you will find information on the retirement issue and other bills we are tracking.

Don't forget the "Retirement Rally" this Saturday, Feb. 6 at 11:00 AM at the Capitol.
See you there. Rick

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Utah Legislature Introduces Ethics Reform Bills

We will be monitoring the following ethics reform bills:
  • HB 124 Restricts personal use of campaign funds
  • HB 267 Bans gifts over $10, but allows dinners over $10 with reporting
  • HB 270 Disclosure of conflicts of interest
  • HJR 14 (Resolution) Putting conflict of interest into House rules
  • HJR 15 (Resolution) Promoting a constitutional amendment to set up an independent ethics commission

There will possibly be other bills limiting contributions to campaigns.

Remember to attend the "Retirement Rally" this Saturday, Feb. 6 at 11:00 at the State Capitol.

Rick

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Retirement Rally Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Capitol

Please let everyone know that all UEA members are asked to attend our Rally at the capitol on this Saturday, Feb. 6 at 11:00-12:30. Please carpool if you can and show up to demonstrate our solidarity against the many changes to our retirement plan.
  • Losing our 1.5% district contribution to our 401k
  • Adding years of service (we are hoping that the bill has been dropped)
  • Only allowing the new hires to choose between a watered down 401k contribution or a hybrid of 1% per service year and a smaller 401k
  • Suspending the benefits of retirees who are rehired
  • Taking away the 401k benefit of retirees who are rehired

Tell your colleagues and we hope to have over 1500 sign waving members there along with our friends from the Public employees, Classified school employees and Fraternal Order of Police.

Rick

Monday, February 1, 2010

SB 77-Limit Association Leave

Another attempt to punish the association comes from Sen. M. Dayton (Utah County) in the form of SB 77. She would like to limit the amount and scope of association leave. Some larger districts have full-time released presidents that are paid for by a combination of association dues and the district. In Weber, WEA's president is half-time released and the association pays for most of that salary. Marlene does a lot to help the district and the district appreciates it. In Ogden, OEA's president can also use association leave, paid for by the district. Our OEA president is provided a full-time aide to help with the association and step in when he leaves. This leave is important and we must fight to keep it.

Remember the Rally for Retirement, Saturday, Feb. 6 at the State Capitol (11:00 to 12:30)
See you there. Rick