From your NESPA Bargaining Team: What is happening in negotiations?
Dear NESPA Member,
On Wednesday, May 7, we had our 4th negotiations session with the administration’s bargaining team. We have several more sessions scheduled before the NESPA-NSEA MEMBERSHIP MEETING/VOTE ON MONDAY, JUNE 16 at 4:15 PM at INGLEMOOR HIGH SCHOOL. This is the important meeting to VOTE on a contract if we have one, or to make plans for the Fall if we do not. Your attendance at this meeting is key to our success.
Wednesday’s bargaining session was a positive discussion of the needs that you have asked us to address. These include maintaining or increasing our hours; job security, getting breaks, adequate training, improving the transfer process, and how we can get a comparable position when we are “displaced” from our school. We reached agreement on some minor matters, and have much more to discuss.
CONCERNS: THIS AFFECTS YOU
We are very concerned about some of the administration’s proposals. These include:
They have proposed to eliminate the 20 hour minimum work week. (This minimum applies to all NESPA members, except School Assistants and Student Technology Specialists.) If the 20 hour minimum were eliminated, it could result in cuts in hours for many employees (even for those working more than 20 hours or 6.5 hours daily) and fewer of us getting benefits.
They have proposed that annual step increases not be guaranteed in the future. Instead, we would have to negotiate each year to get them.
They have proposed only the 4.4% COLA---not more—and no increase in the Professional Standards Program (PSP) stipends.
They have proposed to cut PSP stipends of employees that have more than one. This would cut the pay of seventeen Level II and Level III employees, and future employees.
We are continuing our efforts to improve our work---not to go backwards. We need your help. Please stay in touch with your Building Communicator or Network Communicator, and show your support when asked. Please put Monday, June 16th’s after school meeting on your calendar now, and make the commitment to be there.
Your NESPA Bargaining Team,
Kraig Peck, Judy Ellis, Donna Smith, Dave Wood, Pegy Sturm, and Sharon Maynard
(Suzanne Ducotey is on a short term medical leave.)
