Challenging Week for Negotiations Team

The negotiations team will be meeting with the district team four days this week in an attempt to move the process forward. In addition, the insurance committee will meet Wednesday morning to discuss potential changes to the insurance benefits and premiums to help balance the budget for next year. Recovering from the loss of over $23 million on top of last year's budget shortfalls is a major challenge to the district and to employees.

While education was treated better than other state agencies, we continue to hear that education was "held harmless" from politicians and the press. How can it be "harmless" when the State Board of Education once again authorized local school boards to consider eliminating up to five school days to help them balance local budgets. Although eliminating school days could help balance the budget, it would mean a loss of pay to employees on top of the two ongoing furlough days instituted last year. While our survey indicated teachers prefer cutting school days to other options, it is an additional loss of pay and would not cover the entire shortfall.

The Executive Board and the negotiations team continue to ask for clarification about other options available including administrative cuts and a tax increase.