Bargaining--What's New

First of all--please please, please do not believe that this is the end of the bargaining process--it is not--it is only the beginning or the middle! While I don't have a lot of new news to report, I've had lots of folks wanting to know where we are. I'm going to give a general overview of where we have been and where we still need to go. Remember, NONE of this is set in stone. Things can change from one meeting to the next. Each item that we discuss is interwoven with the other items; almost nothing is a stand on its own concept. Bargaining is a process of give and take, a process of compromise. So here goes . . .

Tentative agreements in language:

1) Six years of experience recognized, as opposed to 10.

2) No change in transfer language with regard to timeline--teachers will still be able to put in for transfers whenever they want to. HEA WIN!

3) No change in teachers having to perform "non-instructional" duties, such as supervisory duties in the cafeteria and on the playground. HEA WIN!

4) Assignments and buildings clearly defined which will help to clear up confusion in involuntary transfers.

Discussions pertaining to salary:

1) Transition from the PCAP single lane salary scale to a traditional steps and lanes (S&L) scale.

2) Number of lanes in S&L scale: district proposed fewer; HEA proposed more. (At point this is an HEA WIN!)

3) Grandfathering of those already on PCAP: HEA's proposal is everyone on step 20+ will be grandfathered into PCAP; this is a tentative agreement. (HEA considers this a WIN as the district wanted everyone to move to aa new S&L Scale. )

4) How many credits are needed for salary lane movement: tentative agreement: 10 credits for BA+ movement. District originally proposed a BA then BA+30 scale, with no "minor" steps in between. HEA proposed "minor steps" with credit for college credits as well as Professional Development Credits on a 12:1 ratio. This is much better than most AA districts. We consider this an HEA WIN!

5) Initial placement: how many PIR (or renewal credits) will be allowed for salary movement? Tentative agreement: 12 PIR credits will equal 1 educational credit; these PIR credits would be for the last four years--HEA prosed 5 years, the district proposed 3, we have tentatively agreed to 4 years..

6) HEA has put forward a proposal that would add another pathway to the traditional Masters Degree salary lane. This is the National Board Certification route to the same salary scale. A Master's Degree is usually is a 10,000 to $3o,000 investment in money. This is almost always a guaranteed way to increase your salary. On the other hand, working towards a National Board Certification requires a lessor monetary investment (approximately $2000) out pocket dollars with perhaps the same monetary result in the long run, but not the same guarantee of achievement.

7) Tentative Agreement: MA/NBC lane: HEA has negotiated a lane that would allow anyone who attains a Master's degree OR a National Board Certification will be placed in the MA/NBC scale-something no other district in the state has negotiated! HEA is very proud of this!

8) Professional Service Commitment: There are certain "jobs" now covered by Professional Service Commitments. Let's take the example of National Honor Society advisor. If the district does not have a NHS advisor at the high school level, and the district wants to maintain a local chapter of this national organization, the district would have to "stipend" an advisor. With the PSC model, those stipend positions are covered. Without the PSC model, the district would have to budget for a stipend for each of these positions (think: student council, class advisor, Key Club, any club that is a local chapter of a National Club, etc.). HEA's position is that these "stipend" positions will be filled with those teachers that are invested in their students' growth and development (i.e. these teachers will continue to advise these clubs because the teachers are vested in the the viability of this club). The district is committed in keeping all the clubs and activities open that are currently being advised by a PSC advisor, thus if there is no PSC advisor, there will have to be a "stipended" advisor. Our tentative agreement is that PSCs will be phased out with the same phased out period as the phase out period as the transition period for moving from the PCAP to the S&L scale. So, all PSC's would sunset within the same time that our members would move to the S&L scale. We have a tentative agreement on this.

There are so many things that are moving on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis that

can change any of the things that I have mentioned above. I cannot stress enough, that any of the things that we have discussed in bargaining are a fluid situation. Everything that we discuss in bargaining are intertwined with the other conversations that we have had. Please understand that the HEA Bargaining Team is working on behalf of all members of our bargaining unit, and we are listening to all points of view.

If you have questions please contact Jane Shawn, HEA President; or other members of the HEA bargaining team: Adam Clinch; Joanne Didriksen; Kelly Elder; Shanna Kimball; Erika McMillin; Jonna Schwartz; Jake Warner