[Editor’s Note: Mr. Mielke is President of the Teachers Union.]
Friends —
As anticipated, we signed a tentative agreement Monday with the Culver City Unified School District.
You will vote on that agreement today at your work sites.
Please check with your site rep about voting procedures. I will get the exact text out to you when it becomes available to me. There were some email problems yesterday in the District.
The agreement calls for:
• Teachers to take 6 unpaid furlough days next year (which we will schedule collaboratively with Classified and Management)
• CCUSD to rescind some of those days if additional funds come into the District
• Elementary teachers will have 9 “meeting-free” Wednesdays for additional prep time
• CCUSD will provide teachers with an annual update of our sick leave balances
• CCUSD will complete a retirement incentive analysis by January
If we ratify today, CCUSD will call a special School Board meeting this week to approve the deal. At that point, according to the District, a “majority” of teachers who have been laid off will be contacted regarding the recision of those layoff notices.
We are recommending a “yes” vote on this agreement. We will continue to work with CCUSD to find ways for them to streamline administration.
As you know, CCUSD has refused to make a single significant cut to its administration. As a result, we have to take unpaid days to save positions. Fewer school days is a financial hit to us, of course, but is an educational hit to our students.
On that note —we have made an early endorsement of Culver City High School teacher Nancy Goldberg, who is retiring this year and will be running for one of the two seats on the School Board this November.
Please set aside some time this fall to help elect one of our own to the Board.
Don't hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns—and don't forget to vote!
Mr. Mielke may be contacted at davidmielke@ccusd.org
