Questions on OEA Negotiations

Questions:

• Can I attend only a half-day of the ARRA days? No, you must attend a full day to be paid.
• Are the ARRA days optional? Yes, many of you have received letters from the district explaining the purpose of these days. The OEA supports the goals of these professional development days and encourages you to attend.
• Where can I receive a summary of the contract changes? Email me at rick@ogdenweber.org or attend our ratification meeting Wed., 3:30, at the UniServ office.
• Will I receive my step this year? No, steps are frozen for this year. If the state funding rises back to the 2007 level (we would need an increase of about 3 million) the district will fund the steps retroactively.
• How much will I receive in Dec? That amount is yet to exactly be determined (it is based on the cost of the steps) but should be around 400.00.
• When will I receive the payment for the four ARRA days before school? In September.
• When will I receive the payment for the Nov. and March ARRA days? In the next supplemental payroll after that day.
• Please call with any other questions. 801-390-6365 Rick

OEA Ratification Meeting Wed. August 12, 3:30 PM, UniServ Office, 939 25th St. Ogden

The OEA Bylaws call for a ratification meeting of the membership to vote to ratify the Tentative Negotiations Agreement. If it is ratified by the members and the OCSD Board ratifies it, then it becomes the contract for the 2009-10 school year. Our webmaster is still trying to get the summary up on the page. For a summary of the agreement email me, rick@ogdenweber.org or call 801-390-6365 with questions. Thanks. Rick

OEA Negotiations Update: Continued

Email me at rick@ogdenweber.org for a summary of the OEA negotiations. Our website is still on the fritz...We will vote to ratify the tentative agreement, Wed., August 12 @ 3:30 @ the UniServ office at 939 25th ST. Ogden. Call 399-3746 with questions or email me.



One of the positive memos of understanding that we signed is one to form a committee with the district to study our Ogden Corrective Action (teacher discipline) policy. It will be worthwhile to discuss some of the things we deal with when administrators use corrective action with our teachers.



Many of the other changes in contract language were editorial (his/her) to statutory language necessary to comply with new laws dealing with Family Medical Leave for example.



We will go over the specific language at our meeting Wednesday.



One of the most often asked questions is: Did the administrators and classified employees share in the cuts? Both of those employee groups will not receive step increases this year. They did not receive the "one time" money that teachers will receive in December. All employee groups benefitted from the infusion of money to mitigate the insurance premium increases.



We feel that the mediation process was valuable. At least $420,000 was added to the financial package through the mediation process. We thank Lavonne Ritter, Federal Mediator, for her long hours working with both teams.



Stay tuned. Rick

OEA Negotiations Update Ratification WED AUG 12 3:30 UniServ Office, 939 25th St. Ogden

Looks like the website is still not cooperating. To receive a more detailed summary of the tentative agreement, email me at rick@ogdenweber.org and I will attach the summary in the reply.

The six ARRA professional development days will be paid at 75% of your contract daily rate. That is figured by dividing 181.5 into your salary. The legislature did not fund Quality Teaching Days this year. Some districts lost all or most of their days. (Jordan lost nine days). Our district was able to fund the six days from a combination of Federal stimulus money (Title One funds that our district can use to help us get out of corrective action) and district funds left over from the previous Quality Teaching budget. These days (optional) are to be used for professional development (mornings) and implementation (afternoons) in your classrooms. The OEA and the district will meet throughout the year to monitor and communicate ways for our district to move out of "district improvement".

Doug Stephens (new OEA president) and Lisa Vipperman (new OEA VP) are optimistic that we can work to strengthen the capacity of our members and improve the communication with the district. We will need your help.

They look forward to hearing from you on Wednesday, August 12 @ 3:30 for our ratification meeting. Please call us at 399 3746 or email us with your questions. rick@ogdenweber.org

Rick

OEA Tentative Agreement-Ratification Mtg. August 12 3:30 OW UniServ Office

Our webmaster is having some problems getting my summary up, so I will try and explain a bit more each day here on the blog.

The district paid 1.188 Million dollars into keeping the insurance premium increases down. Last year employees paid 12% of the premium. This year we will pay 14%. That number (without the 1.188 million) could have approached 30%. Jordan teachers, for example, pay almost 50% of the premium. The new monthly premium amounts for medical are: Alitus Peak: Employee-47.55 Employee + 1 dependent -107.46 and Family 154.54. We were able to keep the benefit package without any big changes.

Steps on the salary schedule will be frozen this year. The district has promised to pay those steps retroactively if funding for next year (after the 2010 legislature) reaches the amount we received in 2007-8 (before the reductions of 3 million dollars). Our team fought hard for the steps and we will continue to fight to see that those are paid in the future.

The one time payment in December is based on 75% of the cost of the steps for this year (approx. 418,000 dollars plus ss and retirment costs) That payment will paid out equally
to all teachers in December. The amount should be over 400.00, but we won't know until the Nov. 15 count of teachers.

We hope to get the summary up on the web soon. thanks Rick

TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED WITH DISTRICT

Monday afternoon the OEA Negotiations Team reached tentative agreement with the district. We will present the details to members next Wednesday, August 12, at 3:30 PM at the UniServ office (939 25th St.,Ogden). Here is a summary of the tentative agreement. (A MORE DETAILED ONE SHOULD APPEAR ON OUR WEBSITE http://www.ogdenweber.org/ BY THURSDAY.

1. Payment in lieu of steps at 75% of step costs for 2009-10 paid equally to all licensed employees according to their FTE (Full Time Equivalent). Applies to licensed employees under contract as of November 15, 2009. Paid in a single payment before Christmas.
2. 2009-2010 steps will be paid in 2010 if state funding for 2010-2011 returns to 2007-2008 level. 2010-2011 steps will be subject to negotiations at that time.
3. Payment of all lanes. (educational lanes)
4. Six professional development days (ARRA) paid at 75% of the daily rate.
5. District pays 86% of premium for health insurance.
6. Changes were made in the following sections of the Negotiated Agreement:3-22, 2-10, 2-16, 2-20, 2-35, 3-30, 3-41, 4-10, 4-15 (new), 4-20 renumbered from 4-15, 4-25 renumbered from 4-20, 4-45, 4-60, 4-70,71,72, 4-83, 4-91, 8-30, 8-51, 9-10, Renewed memos 1-4, changes to memo 5 and added a memo 6 (ARRA days) and a memo 7 on correction action.

If you have any questions email me at rick@ogdenweber.org

Thanks for your patience and we will see you Wednesday.