Cairo Association of Teachers

Cairo Association of Teachers - Negotiations

Key Dates & Updates

April 26, 2002 - Twenty-Eighth Negotiations Session - Mediator Not Present - 1:00 p.m. - The two teams discussed the results of Thursday's review of the District's finances and the finding that there was $326,000 available this year for raises. The Board team offered another $33,000...enough money to finally bring teachers "even" with last year. However, the Board team then wanted to close down negotiations...submit the issue to binding arbitration instead of negotiating the matter to an immediate conclusion. (The Board team does not handle "adverse news" well...Steve has repeatedly explained THEIR numbers to them...showing them that the money is there for our requested raise. They never believe him...and figured their CPA back them up. Oops...their CPA agreed with Steve! So the Board team's reaction...give a minimal amount for PR purposes...and find another way to avoid negotiating this matter to a conclusion.) Arbitration would prolong the process by months, cause the District to spend thousands of dollars in legal fees, and possibly cost the District more in salary increases than a negotiated settlement. The CAT expressed its desire to continue with negotiations and made similar movement downwards in its offer. During subsequent discussions, the CAT asked for a printout of last year's expenditure for teachers' salaries...similar to the one given to us for the current year. The Board team said that would take time...as much as two hours. The CAT team indicated that it was willing to wait...willing to spend the entire night if necessary to reach settlement and get the students back in school on Monday. The Board team indicated that the person that needed to "run the numbers" was tired and needed to go home. Therefore, the CAT had no choice. It was agreed that the two teams would resume negotiations at 10 a.m. on Saturday...rather that the scheduled starting time of 3 p.m.

April 25, 2002 - 3:30 p.m. - Finance people meet with members of each team and agree on the groundrules - get directions on exactly what they are to do. Following a couple of hours...the "bean counters" report: The District is NOT broke. There is $326,000 available this year for raises! The District's CPA agreed with this number. A negotiations session was scheduled for Friday afternoon, April 26th, at 1 p.m.

April 24, 2002 - Twenty-Seventh Negotiations Session - Mediator Not Present - 7:30 p.m. - Two teams agreed to call in the "bean counters" - financial experts, including the District's CPA. Details worked out, commited to writing, and signed by the two parties. Process will begin on Thursday afternoon, April 25th.

April 22, 2002 - Twenty-Sixth Negotiations Session - Mediator Not Present - 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Steve Kohn went through the numbers...again. The Board team still could not/would not tell us what was wrong with the numbers...just refused to accept them. After a lengthy caucus, the Board team returned with a written proposal. Namely...that a third party would come in and verify revenues, expenditures, and whether there was a surplus. We pointed out that their proposal did not include any commitment on their part...as in, if there is a budgetary surplus...say $450,000 as their figures suggest...what portion of that surplus...if any...was the Board team willing to put on the table. That prompted another lengthy caucus. The Board team returned with another written statement: If the third party finds a $450,000 surplus, the Board team would be willing to increase their offer by 10%...another $11,200. The CAT team told the Board team that their offer was insulting. The Board team's response..."What's insulting about our offer...$123,200 is almost half of $450,000." NOT! The session ended with no further meetings scheduled. The CAT bargaining team then went to the high school, where a membership meeting was already in progress. They reported the outcome of their negotiations session. The Board's "last, best, and final offer" was immediately rejected by an overwhelming majority. The membership then voted to strike...and strike NOW! The strike is set to begin on Thursday morning, April 25, 2002.

April 22, 2002 - General membership meeting. - CHS Cafeteria - 3:30 p.m.

April 17, 2002 - Twenty-Fifth Negotiations Session - 5th With Mediator - 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. - For the second meeting in a row, the Board team refused to "move" - refused to improve their offer. The Board team stated that this was their "LAST, BEST AND FINAL OFFER". When the CAT team suggested another meeting to "brainstorm" possible solutions, the Board team indicated that they were not interested. (They openly resisted two caucuses suggested by the federal mediator...seemed very "put upon" that they had to stay and talk..."What's there to talk about?") Steve Kohn once again went through their numbers, indicating that they had ample room in their budget to offer teachers a decent settlement and have money left over for other groups or "pet projects". The Board team did not want to hear it...got VERY CONDESCENDING. This "attitude" sparked some heated responses from our side which were returned in kind. A couple of cooling off periods called by the mediator failed to produce progress. The mediator and members of the CAT bargaining team made repeated efforts to get the Board team to open a dialogue, but they would not budge. "We don't have any money...that's it." In response, Steve asked them to show him where his numbers were wrong...they would not/could not. Draw your own conclusions! There will be a general membership meeting Monday, April 22nd, to consider the Board's "last, best and final offer". Decisions will have to be made on how to best deal with the Board's refusal to negotiate. All members should attend.

April 15, 2002 - Scheduled Twenty-Fifth Negotiations Session - 5th With Mediator - 5:30 p.m. - Canceled at the request of the mediator. Rescheduled for April 17th.

April 4, 2002 - Twenty-Fourth Negotiations Session - 4rd With Mediator - 3:00 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. The meeting began on a note that set the tone for the whole session...the Board team's concern for "confidentiality". In order to "move" negotiations, the CAT team suggested that the Board team black out the "confidential" information that they did not want us to see and give us the documentation of revenue and expenditures. They agreed to that. Then the "song and dance" REALLY began. Each time we tried to pin down their financial situation using THEIR "cash flow" concerns instead of the AFR/Budget comparison that we had focused on, they would shift gears and start talking budget figures. This went on for well over an hour...with no resolution. We then turned to health insurance coverage. The Board team indicated that the number of participants that the had given us previously was incorrect, and gave us a new number. When we asked to see a list of the participants so that we could confirm the exact number, the Board team declined, again citing confidentiality. Members of the Board team then indicated that the issues that the CAT team kept raising were basically irrelevant...that the money just was not there...that the state would come in and take us over if we did not cut expenditures and get out of debt. The CAT team countered by asking if the rumor was true...was a current District principal going to be moved to the central office to replace the curriculum coordinator. The Board team confirmed that rumor...AND that it would be a full-time position, whereas it had been a part-time position. The CAT team asked how they expected us to "sell" a financial package to our members that paid them less than they made last year...that it was all that the Board could afford...when it was common knowledge that the District was going to increase its number of administrators...a number that already exceeded the state average? The Board team's response...they were proceeding on the premise that they were going to close Bennett Elementary. We pointed out that it is almost a certainty that Early Childhood will be funded and reinstated...leaving no classroom space for closing a building. The Board team did not back off of their assertion. The Board team then gave us several thick handouts of financial information that we had requested...specific information on revenues and expenditures. Prior to caucusing in order to review the handouts, the CAT team repeated its request for a list of bargaining unit members participating in the District's group health insurance program. To show our good faith, the CAT team also reduced our money proposal by $20,000...from $279,000 to $259,000. Following an hour-and-a-half caucus, the CAT team presented the Board team with a letter...officially requesting a list of teachers who belonged to the District's group health insurance plan. This information was requested under the provisions of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act...as information necessary and pertinent to negotiations. The Board team caucused for a half hour. The list was not forthcoming. Since the Board team did not present the information required for further negotiations, we were forced to schedule yet another date for negotiations...Monday, April 15th, at 5:30 p.m.

April 3, 2002 - IEA "financial guru" Harry VonHoudnos pays a visit to Cairo. Representatives of the CAT team and the Board team met from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. to review District finances. "Harry" was very complimentary of Steve Kohn's grasp of the District's finances - that Steve was right on target with his assessment. The CAT followed up the meeting with a request for further financial information from the District in preparation of the next negotiations session which has been moved up one day to Thursday, April 4th.

March 30, 2002 - Twenty-Third Negotiations Session - 3rd With Mediator - 11:00 a.m. - 9:45 p.m. - With the exception of one item, tentative agreement was reached on proposals for changes in or additions to existing contractual language. The anticipated battle over the "PREFACE" did not materialize. Following a passing reminder by the CAT bargaining team of the potential disruption that could result from abolishing past practice, the Board team offered to drop its objection to "Past Practice" if the CAT dropped its proposal for "Maintenance of Standards". We agreed. Another item that had potential for disruption was a proposal by the Board to change our "Recognition" language - language which identifies exactly who belongs to and is represented by the CAT. This proposal had been tabled earlier as the CAT awaited the outcome of the "merger vote". On Saturday, the Board - without discussion - withdrew its proposal and agreed to go "Back to Book". After the Board withdrew its objection to past practice, the CAT moved to clear two items off the table by "packaging" Sections 3.17 (Lesson Plans) and 4.25 (Workshop Attendance). The CAT team suggested - and the Board team accepted - that the contested new language be dropped and that past practice would continue. Section 5.8 (Pooling of Sick Leave) had been a surprising bone of contention throughout these negotiations. The CAT team expressed its concern that the Board's new solution (creation of a sick leave bank) had the potential of creating many new problems...including the abuse of sick leave "by the few" whom they complained about previously. Finally, the CAT team proposed another "package deal" - we offered to drop our objection to "pulling an aide" for other duty (the Board team had emphasized repeatedly their need for "flexibility" to deal with emergencies) and our proposed Section 4.6 (Early Retirement Option) in return for keeping the current pooling of sick leave. The Board team accepted that offer. The final language item to be TA'd WAS Section 5.1 (Sick Leave). On Saturday, the Board proposed increasing sick leave days per school term from the current 11 days to 12 days for ALL employees, allowing accumulation to 235 days instead of the current 220 days, and increasing payment for unused sick leave from the current 50% of the prevailing substitute teacher rate to 60%. The CAT team accepted the Board's proposal. One language item that is still outstanding is Section 4.16 (Advancement on Salary Schedule). Your team repeated its objection to "freezing" continuing employees on the salary schedule - not giving the vertical "step raise" - while giving same to "new hires". The Board team did not disagree with our argument or logic, but cited a "cash flow" problem...that they would not have been able to meet the December 19th payroll if they had already "moved" teachers to their proper step. Section 4.16 is still on the table. Salary and benefits were the main focus of Saturday's session...and remain a BIG problem. After several long discussions...including whether to use the fiscal year (July 1st - June 30th) or the "contract" year (August 15th - August 14th) for figuring salary and benefit projections, it was decided to use the contract year and that a 1% raise would cost approximately $29,000. The health insurance coverage/premium is a BIG issue. BCBS premiums went up approximately 17% last year. The District has been notified that premiums this year will increase (in April) by another 32%...although numbers given to us on Saturday indicate an increase of 35.5%! The Board team indicated on Saturday that they would "eat" what they have paid so far this year...would NOT make us pay back the difference...if/when we reach settlement. However, we would begin paying the increase in BCBS premiums beginning with the April 15th check...again, approximately $150 per month! By their calculations, the Board has an offer on the table of approximately $112,000 - $35,000 in costs already incurred and $77,000 that the CAT can use at it sees fit...i.e. apply towards insurance premiums or to improve the salary schedule. It would take approximately $109,000 to restore the 3.75% lost from last year - the December & June "additional salary" payments. It would take an additional $58,000 to "move" teachers on the salary schedule. (Well...not quite that much since "new hires" are already there...maybe $50,000.) And...it would take approximately $42,000 to cover the $150 per month increase in BCBS insurance premiums. So...it takes approximately $151,000 just to maintain current "take home pay". A step raises that figure to approximately $201,000. Any additional raise would add $29,000 for each 1%. The current CAT position is (a negotiable) $279,000, with full individual insurance coverage. Further discussion of numbers seemed to be counter-productive as both teams had exhausted the available information. The CAT told the Board that it was going to ask for IEA finance personnel to come to Cairo and review the District's financial records. We asked the Board team if they would like to participate...to hopefully find a solution to our financial quandry. They indicated that they would be interested. Accordingly, IEA UniServ Director Jim Tammen (who was present for the negotiations on Saturday) is going to contact Springfield (when the office reopens on Tuesday) and try to set up a meeting for next Wednesday or Thursday. Tentatively...depending on the aforementioned financial meeting...the next negotiations session is scheduled for Friday, April 5th.
March 25, 2002 - Twenty-Second Negotiations Session - 2nd With Mediator - 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. - CAT Chief Negotiator Steve Kohn turned our attention towards money last night. After reviewing the District's Annual Financial Report (AFR) for the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2001 and the budget for this fiscal year, Steve presented the Board's team with a handout of basic figures. Briefly: The District budgeted almost $275,000 MORE for teacher salaries this year than it did last year...even though the District has LESS TEACHERS! This reduction of teachers from last year (through attrition - NOT RIFs) saved the District almost $164,000. This is a net difference of over $438,000 - enough to give CAT members a 17% raise! We assured the Board team that we were NOT asking for, or expecting, a 17% raise...BUT that we did expect a fair and equitable settlement. When Steve pressed the Board team for confirmation of his figures, the Superintendent agreed...with reservations...citing "soft money"...money from grants that are not "guaranteed". BUT...we are talking contract for THIS YEAR, which is rapidly coming to a close. We KNOW what "soft money" we are receiving...have received. The Board team indicated that they needed time to come up with a response to the numbers...AGAIN...THEIR NUMBERS! We said that we needed to move the process...needed confirmation or denial during this meeting. The Board team then requested a caucus for that purpose. The time was 6:28 p.m. At 8:15...almost 2 hours later!...the federal mediator came and got us...stating that the Board was ready. After a few minutes of (weak) denial of the accuracy of Steve's numbers, the Board team stated that they were going to have to get back to us! This prompted a little (justified) sarcasm from a member of our team..."You cut a bunch of people last week, and you don't know the numbers!?" The Board team assured us that they would have answers for us at the next meeting...and suggested Saturday, March 30th. We accepted...on the condition that they make a commitment to negotiate for as long as necessary to reach an agreement. (At the last "Saturday" meeting, the Board began the 10 a.m. meeting by stating that they had other commitments at 1 p.m.) The Board team told us that they would keep their schedule open for Saturday and meet "till midnight" if necessary!
March 18, 2002 - Twenty-First Negotiations Session - 1st With Mediator - 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. - The federal mediator (Richard Tygett out of the St. Louis office) introduced himself and defined his role...an observer...a facilitator when talks stall...but no authority to impose his will. The session began with a TA of Section 4.3 (Payroll Installments). Attention then turned to Section 4.8 (Insurance). The CAT team reminded the Board that it was "double dipping" - counting the projected 32% increase in BCBS health insurance premiums as a loss of revenue to the District for next year while proposing during negotiations to "pass it on" to employees. Discussion then turned to a new CAT proposal: Section 4.25 (Workshop Attendance). This section was proposed due to member complaints of being turned down for workshops...especially important now that proof of professional growth is required for certificate renewal. Progress was made, including a proposal that guidelines or "administrative procedures" be developed by June 30th and distributed to all members. However, the matter was tabled for further discussion. Section 4.26 (E.R.O.) was discussed briefly. The CAT asked the Board team to reconsider offering some type of incentive for teachers who were eligible for the early retirement option since the Board got no "takers" on the "March 8th" letters that went out to those eligible. The CAT reminded the Board that it offered the program last year because it was a "money saver". In this year of "budget crisis", surely the Board should consider all possible options. The Board team said that they revisit the issue. Discussion then turned to Section 5.1 (Sick Leave) and Section 5.8 (Pooling of Sick Leave). The CAT is trying to gain an increase in sick leave days while the Board is concerned about abuse by a few..."they use every sick day they have until they run out...then they don't get sick anymore." The CAT tried some creative language...a bonus system of extra sick days for individuals who used very few sick day during the preceding year...but no TA was forthcoming. On the topic of "pooling of sick leave", the Board asked for help in ending abuse...the "leaving" or "selling" of days to employees by employees leaving the District. This "loop hole" was created by the administration...when "friends" were allowed to do so...and told others. They asked for our help in closing it...and we did with new proposed language that restores the original intent of the language; namely if a person runs out of days, a person can give them a day...on an "as needed basis"...one at a time. However, after closing that loop hole, the Board team wanted to drop existing "prorated per diem" language which would create a new loop hole. They want the exchange to be "a day for a day". This would mean that if an employee who makes $200 a day gives an employee who makes $100 a day "a day"...that's it...even up...not two-for-one. However, that also means that if a $200 employee needed a sick day, he/she could go out and "buy" a sick day from a $100 employee...say for $125. The $100 employee would make $25 and the $200 employee would save $75. The District would lose $100. Let the bidding begin! The Board said they would consider the CAT's proposal.
March 18, 2002 - 1st RIF Impact Bargaining Session - 2:30 p.m. - 4:35 p.m. - Most of the discussion focused on projected revenue losses by the district due to Governor Ryan's proposed budget which eliminates grants and adds that revenue to General State Aid. We went through the numbers several times, but they never came out the same. The Board insists that it MUST accept the projected grant cuts as FACT in making its hiring decisions for the 2002-03 School Year. BUT, the Board REFUSES to accept the projected increase in General State Aid which would reduce the size of any reduction in force (RIF). The Board indicated that it was considering RIFing 27 people...12 certified. The CAT team objected strongly to such drastic action...the negative impact on education and test scores...but to no avail. The only positive indication coming from the Board team was that programs and personnel would be restored if/when official word was received that funding had been restored. Unfortunately, the legislature will probably not make that decision until mid-May and ISBE does not expect to know anything for certain until June 1st. The Board team indicated that its final decision on RIFs would be made at the Board's regular meeting this Thursday night (March 21st) at 5 p.m.
March 16, 2002 - Twentieth Negotiations Session - 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Again...a lot of talk and no action. More language items were discussed and an initial exploration of finances was conducted.
March 11, 2002 - Nineteenth Negotiations Session - 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Open with brief discussion of Section 3.11 (Working Conditions), but no progress. Attention then turned to Section 3.17 (Lesson Plans). Board made a "supposal" - an unofficial offer...which if not accepted...did not happen; namely, withdraw their proposal and leave lesson plans up to discretion of building administrator...while keeping last half of the CAT counter...requirement for lesson plans when absent and provision for 3-day emergency lesson plans. No agreement was reached. Next up for discussion...Section 4.3 (Payroll Installments). The Board's team indicated that they had contacted technical support staff for the new payroll software company. Good news...the program CAN be modified to correct the problem of last June 15th...the excess taxes being withheld from people who opt for or are required to take a lump-sum payment of summer money. Language will be typed up for a possible TA at the next session. Initial "exploration" was made in Section 4.8 (Insurance). After discussing the currrent single rate ($354.58) and the projected increase by BCBS of 32% to begin on May 1st, the item was tabled pending negotiation of the salary schedule. However, the Board's team indicated that the District had already asked the insurance broker to explore modifications of the District's current group health coverage (e.g. higher deductible) AND a possible switch of insurance carrier. The CAT did receive assurance that the District's Insurance Committee would be involved in the process as in the past. The two teams briefly discussed Section 4.26 (Early Retirement Option). The Board team indicated that there were "no takers" on the early retirement letters which were sent to eight bargaining unit members. Some of those members indicated that they would be interested IF the District agreed to do as last year; namely, pay the employees' share. The Board indicated that it was not prepared to do so at this time due to financial constraints. The Board team also indicated that it might have to "cap" the number who could retire under E.R.O. at the 30% level allowed in the law...which would be 3 of the eligibles...due to the amount required to be paid by the employer. The CAT reminded the Board that the whole purpose of the law was to allow the District to save money...by replacing the "high-priced" employee with a person of less experience on the salary schedule. The final section to be discussed was 4.16 (Advancement on Salary Schedule). The CAT has proposed that "All employees shall receive the additional scheduled compensation for both horizontal and vertical advancement and will not be "frozen" due to failure of the Board and the Association to negotiate a new contract." Currently employees can move horizontally by providing proof of educational advancement. BUT, if the contract expires (which it did on August 14, 2001), employees do not automatically move to the next level...do not get paid for an additional year of experience...the year that you spent teaching in CSD #1 last year. HOWEVER...an employee who came to Cairo from another District DOES get paid at the correct level...for ALL of their years of experience...which is as it should be! The CAT is simply asking that those who taught in Cairo instead of elsewhere be afforded the same priviledge/right. The Board's team did not agree. They emphasized that until a new contract is negotiated, the Board is mandated by labor law to maintain the "status quo"...to continue to honor the provisions of the old contract. The CAT agreed with "the rule", but NOT the interpretation. In CAT's opinion, the "status quo" states that an employee with a certain number of years of experience should be paid a certain amount...as specified on the existing salary schedule (for the 2000-2001 School Year). By "freezing" employees, the District has taken away one of your years of experience - a possible violation of law! This item was tabled until the next session...which is now scheduled for Saturday, March 16th. (Our Saturday, March 9th session fell through due to other commitments by members of the Board team.)