Door Is Shut
Because both key factors are on the skids, Mr. Mielke’s teachers and the leaders of the other two School District unions were told at an emergency-style budget meeting this week that no additional revenue is available for negotiation purposes.
Reluctant to accept a “no” from Supt. Dr. Myrna Cote, Mr. Mielke digested Wednesday’s meeting overnight, and then met again with the Superintendent yesterday morning.
Let’s Talk
He wants her to agree to return to the bargaining table two months after the teachers approved a new one-year contract. The motivation: Previously unknown funds turned up four days after the Teachers Union contract was approved.
According to Mr. Mielke, the amount that he says is “in play” is $750,000, a quarter-million dollars more than the School District has acknowledged.
‘Not Available’
Ms. Cote told the newspaper yesterday that none of the so-called new money or found money was available for labor bargaining.
With enrollment down and revenues that are tied to enrollment correspondingly dipping, she said the funds are needed in other areas.
Mr. Mielke said he told her he wants to return to the bargaining table even if Ms. Cote insists no additional monies will be offered to the unions.
Why Return?
“I told her that going back does not mean they have to give money to us, but the money is in play,” Mr. Mielke said.
“This is what negotiating, what bargaining is all about.”
He said he is awaiting her response.
All of this comes one week after the Teachers Union filed an unfair labor practice charge against the School District with PERB, the Public Employment Relations Board.
‘Bad Faith’
“We took this action,” Mr. Mielke said, “because we believe the School District acted in bad faith” by not disclosing the presence of the $750,000.
He said the District regained control of the monies after it had been set aside for Workers’ Comp purposes and turned out not to be needed.
“We will be happy to withdraw the charge if the time comes when that is appropriate,” the Union president said.
A Union Timeline
After calling Wednesday’s broadly based meeting “a very good session,” Mr. Mielke said he needed to re-establish context.
“What is going on now,” he said, “is not the end of the story. This is just the beginning. If the District will do the right thing, we will go back to the bargaining table.”
