$14,000 health and welfare package halts negotiations
Negotiations between Madera Unified School District and Madera Unified Teachers Association have reached an impasse, and union vice president John Seybold has not ruled out a strike by the teachers.
Seybold has provided the Tribune with documentation that shows negotiations between the union and the district broke down, and a mediator was called in to try to heal the breach. Seybold said this was not forthcoming, so the two sides now find themselves facing the next step, “fact-finding,” which will be performed again by a third party.
Seybold said fact finding would either support the district or the union. If, after fact finding, the district prevails and “imposes” a final offer that is unacceptable, a strike by the teachers could result.
Meanwhile, MUTA has filed an Unfair Practice Charge with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) against Madera Unified. The teachers’ association is asking PERB to order MUSD to “immediately cease and desist from failing and refusing to bargain in good faith with MUTA, from interfering with and denying the EERA (Educational Employment Relations Act) protected rights of MUTA and its members, and from failing and refusing to participate in the impasse procedures in good faith.” ...
Comments
I am tired of hearing about
I am tired of hearing about the District and the union fighting, this happens every year or so it seems. If the District has the money they should pay the teachers medical so they can worry about educating our kids. Isn't that what they are all their for? This is stupid! Isn't the money for the running of the school in the District? Why are they fighting this hard to keep this money? It makes me wonder if they get bonuses with the extra money. This isn't even a raise that the teachers want!!!
District Greed
I agree with anonymous that this is dumb. And yes, it does seem like we are fighting every year or so for our livelihood. We are not asking for a raise (which, by the way, we haven't gotten since 2006). We are just asking to stay solvent and keep our insurance as it is now. The district does have the money. If they didn't, they wouldn't have given our superintendent a $10,000 raise. The top people in the district administration make over $4 million a year combined. The district just approved $7,000 for a TWO-DAY Fred Jones training. Wow! How many teachers make $7,000 in two days? Answer: NONE! If the money is not there, fire those people and stop wasting money that should go directly to the classroom. A board member stated that our superintendent has a cap on his insurance, so the teachers should too. Well, if teachers made 6 figure salaries, we could afford to have a cap on our insurance. Teachers are asked to give more time, more of their own money, and working conditions are outrageous. Sure, cram 38 students or more in a classroom. If the students don't succeed, just blame it on the teachers. We need the parent's support on this issue. It's your children who are suffering when the classrooms are crowded and when teachers are overworked and stressed out. The public needs to come to the defense of the children and make the board see what we are dealing with here. This is a district that cares more about money than children.