[Editor’s Essay:The following letter, by a regular observer of School District activities, was submitted with a request that the name be withheld.]
The Teachers Union has officially posted its initial collective bargaining proposal, which will be presented tonight at a public hearing during the 7o’clock School Board meeting.
I will refrain from comments about their proposal.
Of note, according to the Board’s First Interim Budget, (page 3), “The District is deficit spending in 2011-12 approximately $3,100,000.00 annually.”
The Teachers Union is seeking, inter alia, the following:
• 20 percent increase in pay for any elementary teacher teaching a combination class (i.e., fourth and fifth grades together);
• Increase in dental coverage;
• $1,000/teacher increase (to $4,000) in “cash in lieu” of medical insurance;
• School District to pay half of any medical insurance premium increases, over and above the maximum allowable (which is in excess of $8,000.00/annually);
• New steps added that will allow teachers to increase their salary without calling it a raise;
They have not asked for limousine service to and from school; express free dry cleaning service; or country club membership, yet.
That may be due to the fact that they hadn’t yet considered that.
