Update on UESF negotiations

Hot on the heels of the school closure "finale" comes this volley from UESF. As painful as the school closure process has been, the savings ultimately fell short of expectations, making the upcoming teacher contract negotiations all the more difficult.

I hate to say it, but if you thought the school closure decisions were difficult, hang onto your seat. The ride is about to get really rocky.

From a UESF email we have:

Impasse likely if no additional movement from district

On January 17th, the union met with district negotiators and received their response to our January 5th compensation proposal. The district made some movement, raising their offer on the table to 7%. However, this offer included an unfavorable implementation structure that is unacceptable to UESF negotiators.

Furthermore, the district has refused to remove several damaging concessions that they have put on the table ­ including stripping the power of Union Building Committees.

If further movement is not forthcoming at the next negotiating session, the negotiations may reach impasse. As a sign of good faith, we have restructured our salary compensation package to the following:

• 3% retroactive to July 1, 2005
• 3% July 1, 2006
• 4% January 1, 2007
• $500 for an advanced degree;
• $400 in acknowledgement of Professional Development growth (certificated)
• $200 in acknowledgement of Professional Development growth (classified)
• Increment "E" for schedules currently lacking it
• A COLA-based formula to trigger additional salary negotiations in 06-07

The Board of Education will formally receive this counter proposal on compensation on Tuesday, January 24th. The Board's response will determine the union's next steps. A tentative meeting the morning of February 2nd was put on the calendar.

PLEASE PRINT, COPY, POST AND SHARE WITH UESF COLLEAGUES WHO ARE NOT RECEIVING UNION EMAILS.

UNITED EDUCATORS OF SAN FRANCISCO
2310 Mason Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
415.956.8373

From today's Chron comes this word on the contract negotiations: Budget Ax To Fall Again

The district is offering teachers a 7 percent raise over 18 months, while the union's offer is 10 percent over two years plus a 1 percent, onetime bonus.

The teachers haven't had a raise in 3 1/2 years.

While the two offers sound fairly close, they would have very different financial outcomes for the school district. The district's proposal would mean cutting an additional $2 million for next year, while the union's proposal would mean cutting an additional $18.5 million next year, according to Myong Leigh, the district's chief of policy and planning.

Dennis Kelly, president of the teachers' union, said Friday he doesn't think teachers will agree to a raise of less than 10 percent.