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

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

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

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

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

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

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