District seeks smoother bargaining
Podcast Episode
WCLO's Beth Wheelock reports why Janesville School Board members won't be on contract negotiating teams.
JANESVILLE — The Janesville School Board is making changes hoping to avoid another strife-ridden round of negotiations with the teachers union.
Change 1: Superintendent Tom Evert won't be on the board's team when bargaining on the 2009-11 contract begins next year.
Change 2: No school board members will be on the board's team, either.
Instead, Steve Salerno, the district's new personnel director, will lead the team.
That's what the school board decided in a closed meeting Tuesday night, said board President DuWayne Severson.
"Sometimes, you just have to try something different," Severson said.
The board wants a fresh perspective and wants to improve the tone of negotiations, Severson said.
The board will stay in touch with negotiators, receiving regular updates, Severson said.
The last round of negotiations lasted nearly a year and featured testy exchanges between the two sides. When the teachers ratified the contract, about 40 percent voted against it.
Evert said he has been on the negotiating team since he took over as superintendent in 1997. But this year, he recommended that the board take him off the team.
Evert is retiring June 30, but he said his reason for leaving the negotiations team stems from the revamping of management practices in the district.
The Studer process, as it is known, includes surveys to determine staff satisfaction. Staff members responding to the survey rated Evert low in categories related to negotiations.
The survey was taken last spring, shortly after the last round of negotiations ended. Evert suggested that his role as the board's negotiations spokesman might have intensified the negative opinions of staff members.
Salerno said he will lead the team with the assistance of Mike Julka, a labor lawyer who has been on the team for many years.
The full team has not been selected, but it will include principals and other administrative personnel, Salerno said.
Salerno, then principal of Marshall Middle School, was a member of the team when the last two contracts were negotiated.
The board took no votes in its closed session, Severson said.
Meanwhile, the Janesville Education Association is forming its team.
Dave Parr, who will take over as JEA president in January, appointed a lead negotiator Tuesday. He is Jim Reif, a math and science teacher at Craig High School.
Reif said the JEA will likely form a team as it has in the past, with eight to 10 teachers plus legal assistance.
Asked about he board's move, Reif said: "It makes sense, with Dr. Evert retiring, that he would step aside. We enjoyed working with Dr. Evert. … We're looking to move forward and have a positive negotiation with them and get all the issues solved that we can. … We're looking at it as a brand new slate."
No date has been set for the start of negotiations. The process starts when the union files with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission on Jan. 15, Reif said.
Salerno said the district administration is lining up its negotiating priorities and assumes the JEA is doing the same.
"We are eager to get down to business and hopefully strike a deal," Salerno said.
The new two-year contract is supposed to go into effect July 1.
Dec 18, 2008 at 6:42 a.m.
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Sorry JEA about who your lead negotiator is. He will cave to the boards requests.
Mr. Reif is not a person who will help ease the internal strife that still exist within the JEA from last years ratification vote. I hope he picks teachers with interests that oppose his for his negociating team.
As for jq's comments, he his correct to question Dr. Parr's pick. Mr. Reif based his vote in last year's ratification of the contract on how fat his wallet would get this year. He was blinded to every other issue and principle that many longtime JEA members held dear to them.
Dec 17, 2008 at 11:25 p.m.
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And before you or anyone else accuses me of being a teacher basher...I am 100 % behind teachers...and unions...but every union member has to accept responsibility of membership and realize that union membership is not a spectator sport. You have to get in the game and expect to get hit.
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If you want to stand on the sidelines, save your comments for Monday mornings.
Dec 17, 2008 at 11:16 p.m.
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JQ...Godfather beat me to the punch on a response.
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I certainly did not mean to imply that you couldn't or shouldn't express your opinion. Only that as a union member, you should perhaps focus your feelings toward those whom your hard earned dollars support in extending the cause of your union brothers and sisters.
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If, in fact as you imply, your negotiating team is not indicative of the union mainstream, then you are at a great disadvantage before the whistle even blows.
And that is a problem that the JEA needs to address before they solicit public empathy in the upcoming negotiations, or they will be doomed before they begin.
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And, I'm sure I need not remind you....you are the union.
Dec 17, 2008 at 9:50 p.m.
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JQ, if an employee is not happy with who is a lead negotiator, show some initiative and become involved. Union members have the right to express who they would want to represent them at negotitations. Make an effort to contact the union. Or better yet, get involved to the point where you negotiate. I know people who took intiative, got involved with the union, obtained leadership positions in the union, and fought for their contracts and benefits. Union members can voice their opinions and not just sit back and claim ignorance by saying ridiculious comments like he was apppointed and not voted by the union. If you want someone to lead, or you want to lead yourself, go about it the old fashioned way and work for it.
Don't complain or whine if you don't express your views or do anything proactive to help the cause. Not a valid point to say the union did not get an opportunity to vote, the person was appointed when the union members have the opportunity to make contact with the union to express their views/concerns/recommendation.
Dec 17, 2008 at 9:33 p.m.
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John Doe, He was not deemed by the union! The union did not vote to have this individual as a lead negotiator. He was appointed because he was a pawn to the current JEA president. Any other comments JohnDoe? As for posting here, I will express my opinion much like you have on every topic!
Dec 17, 2008 at 9:09 p.m.
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So what's your' point JQ?
If he is deemed (by the union) to best represent the teachers' point of view, so be it.
If you're a teacher and don't think he does, then perhaps you should be having a discussion with your union rep instead of posting here.
Dec 17, 2008 at 8:52 p.m.
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I find it interesting on who Dave Parr selected as lead negotiator? It seems Mr. Reif has worked at a variety of schools. I believe he was non renewed from his first teaching assignment. If I am wrong Mr. Reif please correct me?
Dec 17, 2008 at 8:31 p.m.
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I guess I don't really understand the JSD's reasoning behind not putting school board members on the negotiating team but instead using principals. Is this a way to strong arm the teachers union. This will solve the problems with tensions between teachers and school board members but will create tension between the principals and thier staff. These people actually have to work together everyday. Doesn't sound like a good move for the better of the school district, rather an easy way out for the board members. Now they can use thier pawns to get what they want and not look like the bad guys. Is this what the Studer group is suggesting you (JSD) do. I sure hope not.
Dec 17, 2008 at 5:59 p.m.
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I concede that it hasn't been presented to the county Board yet. From what I've heard they've agreed to the terms, pending county board approval.
Dec 17, 2008 at 5:39 p.m.
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Perhaps the school board should have hired the personnel director from Rock County. He just broke the union, luring lieutenants from the Sheriff's Department away from the union with a wage increase of 26%. I thought we were in tough economic times!
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