About Timing
The Teachers Union ratified its annual contract four days before the School District revealed the incoming revenue on March 12.
Classified workers and management, the other two unions, still are in contract negotiations.
Whether this development will lead the Teachers Union to carry out its threat to file an unfair labor practice charge is not known.
None vs. Some
The unions were anticipating having at least a slice of the largesse available for bargaining.
Along with state officials, including a budget expert, leaders of the three unions met for 90 minutes late yesterday afternoon with Supt. Cote and Asst. Supt. David El Fattal.
Both sides indicated they were hoping to sweep away threat-seeded storm clouds.
All in One Room
It was effective in having the three associated groups together at the meeting, Ms. Cote said this morning.
This way, all of them would hear the same information at the same time.
(This may have come in response to an accusation by David Mielke, president of the Teachers Union. He said it was not fair to teachers that news of the half-million dollars was delivered after his union had settled and while the other two unions still were at the bargaining table.)
Point of the Session
Ms. Cote said that her objective was to give an overall picture, and to explain where the money is and where the money needs to go.
For the first time, District officials discussed the $500,000 in relation to a timeline. They sought to show why the money arrived on Irving Place early in March, not earlier or later.
Ms. Cote smiled. They may have heard more details than they ever wanted to know, she said.
Disseminating Information
When the meeting concluded at 5:15, Ms. Cote said she hoped union leaders were departing with an understanding of the process, knowing where we are going and about the challenges ahead of us.
She promised to spend the summer determining the smoothest course to follow when in the face of twin impediments, shrinking enrollment and revenues.
