What a Difference a Year Makes
A Word from CCEA President Ruben R. Murillo, Jr.
Last year CCEA and CCSD, after a difficult 2009 legislative session, were able to negotiate a contract that basically kept everything in place when it came to salary and benefits. This was despite the fact that the legislature provided only funding for salary steps based on education. Through negotiations, CCSD provided additional funding to cover salary steps based on experience and the .375% cola for PERS, while averting layoffs. The fact that CCSD staffed schools at 97% helped to prevent layoffs.
Fast forward to February 2010...the economic landscape in Nevada has deteriorated further, prompting Gov. Gibbons to call for a special session of the legislature. At the special session, education funding is cut an additional 6.9% and threats are made to NRS 288, which gives public employees the right to collective bargaining. It was determined that the budget shortfall to CCSD would be an estimated $78 million.
Immediately after the special session, negotiations between CCEA and CCSD picked up in intensity. Shortly after the special session adjourned, CCSD was informed that an additional $43 million shortfall had to be absorbed by CCSD due to declining property tax revenue.
CCEA was determined to negotiate methodically and wait until all information was available before finalizing a contract proposal. After cost savings cuts were implemented by CCSD, $28 million was the magic number needed to balance the budget, leading to the proposed two options.
Last week, CCEA and CCSD reached a tentative agreement on a contract for the 2010–2011 school year. Option 1 and Option 2 were presented to you, our members, for input and over 4,600 responded. Of those 4,600 who voted, 81% expressed support for Option 1. Since the announcement of the tentative agreement, more than 8,000 people have visited our website to read the proposed salary language.
The CCEA Negotiations Team and the CCEA Executive Board unanimously supported Option 1. Following are the pros and cons for Option 1 and Option 2:
Option 1 Pros:
* One year step freeze for Years of Experience
* Layoffs are averted for teachers at the bottom of the seniority list
* No additional cut in salary impacting PERS
* No furlough days that would have resulted in loss of pay and impacted PERS payoff based on three highest years
* CCSD continues to pay longevity pay
* CCSD continues to pay .375% PERS contribution
* CCSD continues to pay steps based on education experience
* CCSD continues to pay employee PERS contribution to the state
* CCSD continues to pay employee contributions to the Teachers Health Trust
* Arbitration is avoided saving CCSD and CCEA money, and a potential loss which would jeopardize all of the above.
Option 1 Cons:
* No step increase based on experience.
Option 2 Pros:
* One year half-step increase for Years of Experience (for those eligible)
* CCSD continues to pay steps based on education experience
* Arbitration is avoided saving CCSD and CCEA money.
Option 2 Cons:
* Two furlough days imposed on everyone resulting in loss of pay and impacting PERS payoff based on three highest years
* Only those eligible would receive the half-step increase for Years of Experience
* Pink slips announcing layoffs are sent to teachers at the bottom of the seniority list
The bottom line is Option 1 averts layoffs of an estimated 600 certified employees (teachers). While developing Option 1 and 2, there were other factors to consider: 1) there were an estimated 700 teachers with add-on day contracts who lost a substantial amount of money with the conversion of schools from a 12-month to 9-month schedule. Many of these teachers were at the top or near the top of the salary schedule; 2) teachers at the beginning of their careers were unsure if they would have jobs next year, knowing that 500 positions were going to be eliminated with the addition of 2 students per class in grades 1 through 3; and 3) an additional 600 teachers would be receiving pink slips in May based on the proposed CCSD budget.
CCEA is still negotiating contract language in the areas of preparation periods, investigatory meetings, new joint committees, shared/half-time contracts, school governance team, and structure to the contract waiver procedure. Language should be finalized by Friday, May 14.
Hopefully this summary will help explain why Option 1 will be brought before you for ratification.
Informational meetings will be held on May 24, 2010, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the NW, central, and SE valley (locations yet to be determined). Online balloting will begin at their conclusion. A postcard will be mailed to your home address regarding these meetings and the process for online voting of the contract.
Attendance to the informational meetings and vote on the contract is ONLY open to CCEA members.
For the latest information, please monitor the website.
Thank you for your support and continued membership.
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INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS
The CCEA Negotiations Team will be holding informational meetings on the proposed contract on May 24 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at three locations. The locations are yet to be determined and will be announced next week.
CONTRACT RATIFICATION
Ratification of the contract language will be conducted online to afford you the opportunity to cast your vote from the convenience of your home. Voting will run from 5:00 p.m., Monday, May 24 to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 26. An access code (PIN) will be issued and will be included on the postcard you will receive at home the week of May 17.
An announcement of the meetings and ratification period will be posted on the CCEA website as well.