[Editor’s Note: Mr. Mielke is president of the Teachers Union.]
We're happy to report that the bargaining teams returned to work on Tuesday. There was movement from the School District, and the teams will meet again soon.
Here's where we are:
Furlough days: The Culver City Unified School District proposed on Tuesday that their upper management employees take six days to our five days.
Clearly, your communications to the School Board have had an effect. This is a step in the right direction.
In our counter-proposal, recognizing that many management employees work at school sites and have direct contact with students, our team proposed that site-based administrative employees accept the same five days we are taking, with only those management employees not at school sites taking the six days.
Class Size: CCUSD has not yet agreed to our proposal that the state maximums for special ed classrooms and specialists' caseloads be added to our contract. If these limits are not added to the collective bargaining agreement, violations cannot be resolved internally through the grievance process but must be taken either to PERB or to Superior Court.
Elementary Prep Time: We have proposed that one Wednesday each month be designated as “meeting-free” for elementary teachers as well as three additional Wednesdays also be “meeting-free” so that teachers can prepare for conferences.
Evaluation: Our proposal calls for principals to be available to meet and explain to veteran teachers (who qualify for the five-year evaluation cycle) if they are scheduled for evaluation earlier than the fifth year.
Early retirement incentive program: We proposed that CCUSD conduct an analysis of early retirement incentive programs, to be completed no later than Jan. 15, 2011.
Limits on coursework for salary movement: The teams are in agreement that these limits can be modified, allowing faster step and column progression.
To sum up, we are close on the furlough days, and we are hopeful that we can make additional progress on these other issues. Since we will be bargaining the placement of those furlough days, we will need your input.
Kelli Tarvyd, who has served on our Calendar Committee, has designed a short survey that we will get out soon. Please look for it and respond promptly.
While many teachers believe that we should take furlough days when kids are present so that parents and community members feel the pain, too, your union's leadership team, in keeping with our mantra of “keeping the cuts away from the kids,” is recommending that some of those days be pupil-free days.
Don't hesitate to email me (davidmielke@ccusd.org) or call me at 310.837.5760 if you have questions or concerns. Thanks for your continued support.
