Ogden Teachers Rally for Collective Bargaining

Ogden Teachers Rally for Collective Bargaining

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Some Charters hire for-profit management

In an Elizabeth Stuart, Deseret News article, we read "When Mountainville Academy found a $300,000 hole in its budget last year, administrators called Lincoln Fillmore. When C.S. Lewis Academy had questions about complicated state reports, administrators called Lincoln Fillmore. And when Gateway Preparatory Academy needed a short term loan, administrators called Lincoln Fillmore."

Lincoln Fillmore, a huge part of the Parents for Choice pro-voucher crowd, has a businsess, Charter Solutions, that helps charter schools with accounting, human resources, and other business concerns.

Weber has two new charter schools opening this year. Our district looks to lose over 400 students to these "public" schools. The lines between the public charter schools and these "private management companies" seems blurred at best.

Rick Palmer

Monday, August 30, 2010

Corroon assails "Band-Aid" ed approach

Lisa Riley Roche wrote last week in the Deseret News, "Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, the Democratic candidate for governor, said Monday the state needs to replace its 'Band-Aid' approach to public education with a long-term plan. In a kindergarten classroom at Dilworth Elementary School, Corroon released his proposal for 'bringing our schools into the 21st century,' the latest in a series of policy papers intended to showcase how he would be a better leader for the state than GOP Gov. Gary Herbert."

Rick

Saturday, August 28, 2010

OEA and WEA New Teacher Membership

Both OEA and WEA held successfull starts to their 2010-11 membership campaigns last week with Weber signing over 30 new members at their breakfast at New Teacher orientation at Orion Jr. High and Ogden signing up 20 at the OEA's luncheon at NTO at the District office. We also held Association Rep training to give our reps their membership materials. We are looking forward to a strong membership year as we work hard to our members salary and benefits in negotiations.

Rick

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Ogden Standard-Examiner Supports Federal Money coming to teachers

I was happy to see the Standard-Examiner supporting the infusion of Federal money coming to teachers in their editorial this morning. The legislative leaders have made noise that they might try and block or reassign the money to other budget areas. The federal legislation is quite clear in its objective to be used for rehiring teachers who were laid off, supporting salaries and benefits of classified, licensed and school building administrators. We know that Gov. Herbert is completing the application for the money and we hope that the legislature does not mess with the process as they meet in special session to discuss the funding. Please contact your state legislators and tell them to allow the money to flow to the districts to be used as the congress designated. That is the definition of local control.

Rick

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

OEA Negotiation Team meets with District Team and Mediator Tuesday

OEA's team met with the district team and our mediator, Lynn Trenbeath, Tuesday for a couple of hours to look at defining the issues, listing our interests and brainstorming options for settlement. We did not schedule another meeting with the idea that the new "jobs bill" money coming from the Feds will help. We have to wait until the legislature meets in special session to allocate the money. We hope they don't screw it up too much.

WEA's team postponed their mediation meetings for the same reasons as above. We are waiting for more info on the fed money.

Stay tuned.

Rick

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Federal Aid Perturbs Lawmakers

Last week the legisature met in interim meetings and discussed the "jobs bill" money coming to state public schools. They complained that this is "encroaching on the state's rights". It shouldn't surprise anyone that some of those leading the outcry against accepting the money are Senator Jenkins and Speaker Clark. Of course, the Patrick Henry Caucus (how many times can they deface a true patriot) is crying foul. Hell0oooo....our budgets are bleeding red ink and we need a band aid or a tourniquet even. Please call or email your legislators and say leave our money alone. For Weber and Ogden Districts it could mean $5.6 and $2 million dollars for employee salaries and benefits. We are at impasse in negotiations and anything would help reach agreement. Tell the legislators to "butt out" and allow the Governor (who has said he will apply for the money) to do his job and get some much-needed money into our schools.

rick

Monday, August 23, 2010

OEA President to respond to Standard-Examiner Editorial

OEA's President, Doug Stephens, has responded to the editorial of last Wednesday entitled "No Raises for Teachers". We hope to see it printed this week.

WEA's negotiation team is scheduled to meet with mediator, Lynn Trenbeath, on Tuesday.

OEA's negotiation team will begin mediation with Lynn Trenbeath on Tuesday also.

I will be up on WSU's campus today talking to four groups of new education students and also new student teachers. (over 150 students) I will be promoting student membership in the association. We have evidence that student members become active members when hired.

Rick

Friday, August 20, 2010

Weber New Teachers Breakfast a Success

Members of the WEA Executive Board and Association Building Reps served breakfast to over 80 new hires to the Weber District this morning and we signed up 31 new members. It is a good start to our membership campaign this year.

OEA's negotiation team has agreed to have Lynn Trenbeath serve as our mediator for the upcoming negotiations that starts Tuesday, Aug. 24. Lynn also is working with WEA in their mediation process.

Rick

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Guv to apply for federal ed funds; Utah GOP upset

You can read Joseph M. Dougherty entire article at http://www.deseretnews.com/
He writes "The money is coming whether they like it or not, and many of them don't...Governor Gary Herbert plans to apply for the money, which comes from a federal law enacted Aug. 10 that provides funding for Medicaid and education salaries...' It would be foolish for the state of Utah not to accept this funding, which will directly benefit Utah's schoolchildren'...Kory Holdaway (UEA's lobbyist) said,"The value of one-time money isn't as great as ongoing money, but it's $100 million more than we had a week ago." Some Republicans are complaining about the federal money coming with strings attached.

We estimate a funding of $5.6 million for Weber District and over $2 million for Ogden. This money is earmarked for salaries and benefits of classified employees, licensed employees and school administrators. It comes as both of our associations have entered mediation because of the districts failure to honor the payment of our contractual step increments.

Rick

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

OEA Leadership Hosts New Teacher Luncheon

OEA's Executive Board and Association Building Reps met Tuesday morning for training and information before attending the luncheon for Ogden New hires at the district office. Our leaders presented information to the new teachers and encouraged them to join the OEA. One big recruitment tool this year is the opportunity for our new teachers to sign up for a Basic Med Insurance program for the duration of the 90 waiting period. UEA and OEA will subsidize the premium and the new teachers will only pay $75 for the 90 days of insurance. We signed up 19 new members yesterday and hope that our building reps will contact the new teachers again in their buildings.

OEA's negotiation team is working with the Supt. to choose a mediator. President Stephens received some names from the Supt. and will respond. We hope to get started as soon as possible. We sent a negotiation update out in the mail to our OEA members yesterday.

Rick

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Weber Mediation Continues

WEA's negotiation team, Weber district's team and our mediator, Lynn Trenbeath, met yesterday (Monday) at 9:00 a.m. for over two hours and discussed more options for coming to an agreement. The new "Jobs Bill" money or "stimulus money" coming from the federal government (estimated at possibly $5.6 million for Weber) was a major topic of discussion. We are just getting more information on how it can be used and when the money will be arriving. We will meet again next Tuesday, Aug. 24 at the district office.

The Deseret News weighed in on the stimulus money in an editorial you can read at www.deseretnews.com


Rick

Monday, August 16, 2010

Ogden Education Association Declares Impasse in Negotiations

OEA's Negotiation Team met with the district team, the classified team and the administrators's team Friday morning and heard the school boards final offer. It did not offer much of anything new and we were given an ultimatum of accepting by Monday (today) by 4 pm or the district would call impasse and send out a news release explaining our rejection of their plan. Our OEA board met immediately after and voted to go to impasse. Notification was made to Supt. Zabriskie and we sent out a news release. We will be sending a mailing to all members this week. We will work with the district to appoint a mediator and start the mediation process as soon as possible. We know that the Obama administration and Congress have passed a "jobs bill" that could bring up to $2 million dollars to Ogden District that can be used for salary. We are optimistic that this will help us reach an agreement. We will start the year without a new contract. If you have questions, please contact me (Rick Palmer) at 801-390-6365 or email Doug Stephens at stephensd@ogdensd.org

Weber mediation continues this morning at 9 a.m. with a meeting of the WEA team, the district team and mediator Lynn Trenbeath. We hope the infusion of $5 million dollars in stimulus money from the federal government will help us reach agreement.

Rick

Friday, August 13, 2010

New Stimulus Money to Come to Utah

The "jobs bill" that Congress passed and President Obama signed this week will bring around $101 million new education dollars to Utah. UEA's Director of Research, Jay Blain gave us this information from the U.S. Dept of Ed concerning the acceptable uses of the money:
  • Recalling teachers, recalling other building employees including building administrators
  • Reinstating furlough days or other days lost to funding cuts
  • COLAS or steps on salary schedules
  • Provide money for local programs
  • Adding hours, days or programs at a school level

The applications are being emailed to governors today (Friday) and as soon as the governor returns the application the money will follow quickly. The money will be distributed either by using the WPU or using Title 1 formulas. If you have questions you can email Jay Blain at jay.blain@utea.org or email directly to educationjobsfund@ed.gov

Rick

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Weber Mediation Met Yesterday

Both the WEA Negotiations Team and the District Team met with our mediator, Lynn Trenbeath, yesterday for two hours to start the mediation process. We defined the issues and discussed our concerns and interests on both sides. We then looked at options. Lynn gave both groups homework and we will reconvene on Monday, August 16.

The new stimulus money could mean more than $5 million to Weber District and over $2 million to Ogden to help with retaining and hiring teachers. It is part of the almost $100 million that is Utah's share of the jobs bill that President Obama signed into law. The NEA lobbied hard for this bill that will save up to 1,500 teacher jobs in Utah alone.

Ogden negotiations continues tomorrow morning with a meeting with the classified, administrators and the district.

Rick

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

1,500 teachers' jobs could be saved

"With President Barack Obama's signature on the $26 billion stimulus bill for education and Medicaid on Tuesday, Utah stands to nab about $101 million for education for fiscal 2011." You can read the entire article at www.deseretnews.com

WEA resumes their mediation this morning meeting with the district team and mediator, Lynn Trenbeath.

Rick

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Utah steps up ed standards

Lisa Schencker wrote Monday in the Tribune (www.sltrib.com) "Utah joined more than 30 other states Friday in adopting new math and language arts standards meant to boost students' readiness for college and work."

Also state education leaders are hoping to eventually adopt new statewide tests to reflect the new standards and replace current tests.

OEA negotiations meeting has been scheduled for Friday, August 13 at the district.

Rick

Monday, August 9, 2010

OEA Negotiations meeting cancelled by district

Thursday night the OEA Negotiations team found out that the scheduled negotiations meeting with Ogden District Friday morning was cancelled. The school board, meeting in executive session Thursday night, did not have any new information for us, according to Ogden District spokesperson Brenda Ruffier. We were disappointed and will now wait to see when we can meet again.

Jordan School District and JEA is still stalled in their teacher negotiations. JEA and the Jordan District met with a Federal Mediator last week for two days and were not able to come to an agreement. Jordan Education Association is asking for contractual steps and lanes and the district only offered to give them steps and lanes next year (2011-12) only if the JEA would accept other cuts to pay for them. The will now proceed to a fact-finding hearing officer appointed by state supt. Larry Shumway.

Weber Education Association will continue the mediation process meeting Wednesday, August 11 with the district team and the mediator, Lynn Trenbeath (retired Davis administrator).

Rick

Friday, August 6, 2010

Time for teachers to embrace accountablity

Leonard Pitts Jr., syndicated columnist for the Miami Herald wrote "it is troubling to see teachers unions reflexively reject anything that smacks of accountability". He writes about the efforts of Washington, D.C schools chief Michelle Rhee who fired 241 teachers, "most of whom had performed poorly on a teacher evaluation system." President Obama defended his "Race to the Top education initiative, saying "the goal isn't simply to fire bad teachers, but to lower class sizes, reward excellence and demand accountability".

As Ogden District begins the "School Improvement Grant" at Odyssey, Dee and James Madison, the OEA is hopeful that the district will work with us to make sure the contract is followed and that we are at the table for any changes that might come to those schools such as extended day pay, extended year pay, incentives and evaluations. One of our goals is to help teachers succeed and improve instruction for our kids. It is also our goal to perserve the due process rights of our teachers and honor the negotiated agreement. Our teachers are expected to have accountability and we should ask that of every employee, administrator, student and parent in the district.

Rick

Thursday, August 5, 2010

OEA Negotiations to meet Friday

OEA's Negotiation Team will meet with the district team Friday morning to continue discussions. The school board is meeting in executive session tonight to discuss negotiations. Our OEA Executive Board will also meet Friday to discuss the negotiations.

WEA's next Mediation meeting is August 11 with the district and our mediator, Lynn Trenbeath.
Weber's school board approved the move to EMIA for our IHC network. We will continue with Altius also. They also voted to "blend" the premiums payments. The district has not offered any increase on their contribution to insurance premiums.

Project Soar at Weber State enters its fourth day with a "Day in the Schools" for the students. They will be spending most of the day in Davis Year Around schools.
UEA sponsored a "Power brokers" luncheon yesterday that allowed students to meet College of Ed staff and also district administration.

Rick

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Day Three-Project Launch @ WSU

Today the students and mentors will visit and tour the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind in Ogden. Later today, they will listen to a presentation by the faculty of the Child and Family Services. UEA is sponsoring their "power brokers lunch" today where the students will be able to meet some of the College of Education staff and leadership.

Rick

Monday, August 2, 2010

Project Launch Begins at WSU

New, incoming Weber State Students (around 30) , with their eye on becoming teachers, begin their week-long adventure at WSU campus this morning with a check-in to their dorm rooms, ice-breakers with their Future Education Association (WSU students) mentors, and a panel of new teachers. Later they will participate in a presentation of the "7 habits of highly effective college students".
This afternoon Dr. Peggy Saunders will present " Class and Team Team Building".
This program has been organized by Stephanie Heath (College of Ed recruiter) with the help of the FEA advisors and WSU Staff members.

Rick