Teachers, board begin contract negotiations
JANESVILLE — The Janesville School Board's opening offer to its teachers is a wage freeze in the coming year and a 1.34 percent increase in 2010-11.
The teachers did not make a specific offer on wages as the two sides sat down to bargain for the first time Tuesday at Craig High School.
The Janesville Education Association made a detailed series of proposals that concentrated on working conditions.
The teachers proposed doing away with "professional development" training that the district requires.
Teachers must complete a professional development plan and take college courses to maintain their state licenses, chief negotiator Jim Reif pointed out, so that should suffice, as it does in many other districts.
The school board's team had quite a different idea, proposing to expand the hours of professional development.
The teachers' main goal is to create a better work place so Janesville can attract the best teachers possible and retain good teachers, Reif said.
Reif contended work rules are driving teachers away at a higher rate than in comparable districts.
The board team made another work-rule proposal that didn't sit well with some of the approximately 100 teachers who came to listen to the session: That teachers be restricted to time off from work to attend their own children's school activities only twice a year.
The existing rule is being overused, so it needs to be reigned in, said Mike Julka, the labor lawyer who spoke for the board's team.
The teachers proposed opening all negotiating sessions to the public. Julka said the school board discussed this in advance and wanted closed meetings, at least for starters.
Reif said open meetings would allow taxpayers and teachers to follow the process, build trust, and ensure "no appearance of inappropriate or backroom deals."
The two sides agreed to discuss Julka's idea of issuing joint news releases after each session or conducting joint interviews with the news media.
The two sides also agreed to meet next on June 3 and to hold four other meetings over the summer.
The board proposed ending the longstanding practice of providing teachers early-retirement benefits, but negotiator Steve Salerno said later that that's negotiable.
Reif said saving early retirement was a top goal identified in a survey of teachers.
Reif noted the teachers' longtime contention that the district has pocketed money committed to teacher health insurance because it wasn't needed to fund the district's self-insured plan.
Reif said the amount in question is about $8 million over five years, and he said the board wouldn't have to raise taxes to provide raises: "Just return some of that $8 million to us, and we'll be satisfied."
Julka said he hoped the teachers would consider that the district's health costs and Wisconsin Retirement System payments are on the rise.
The state of the economy and the state's budget woes also were considered in the board's salary proposal, Julka said.
May 25, 2009 at 8:49 a.m.
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And finally, why are meetings closed? It seems that it would build trust for everyone to have these meetings open to the public and press.
May 25, 2009 at 8:47 a.m.
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Also, why take out early retirement? Doesn't it make more sense to offer early retirement and hire young, new teachers that might make half of what the retiring teachers are? That would save the district a LOT of money!!!!
May 25, 2009 at 8:45 a.m.
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I understand the economy too. But the initial offer is insulting and hurtful to these dedicated professionals who work hard for the youth of Janesville!
May 22, 2009 at 9:18 p.m.
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The teachers in Janesville realize the state of today's economy. However, they also realize that when the economy was flourishing, and employees in other professions were rewarded with healthy raises and bonuses, Janesville teachers did not even receive a cost of living increase.
May 22, 2009 at 9:11 p.m.
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The school board defends Karen Schulte's raise by comparing it to the salaries of superintendents in similar districts. It's interesting that they won't do the same when discussing teachers' salaries. That's very Studer-like.
May 22, 2009 at 9:07 p.m.
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I was eating dinner tonight at a supper club near Milton. Speaking to an Edgerton teacher, she mentioned their recent contract settlement that includes a raise of more than 4%. When I spoke of the negotiating process that has just begun in Janesville, her immediate response was about how "sour" negotiations are in Janesville and went on to describe the "good relationship" between their board and the teachers. Imagine that.
May 21, 2009 at 9:01 p.m.
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The taxpayers should know how much money the district spends training their a so that when they leave the district they are prepared to teach the kids in another district. Of course they are going to close the meetings because the district has been misleading the taxpaying public for years. They manipulate information to the school board as well. The public who regularly bashes the teachers need to wake up and start calling the districts bluffs. No money available for teachers but the superintendant in her first year gets 8% more than Tom Everet got after 14 years of service! And how about the 30,000+ piece of software the district purchased to make sure the teachers put in their 12 hours of inservice time. Why do they pay administrators? Couldn't they regulate this?
May 21, 2009 at 8:18 p.m.
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So, the Board wants to negotiate behind closed doors. They want to limit teacher involvement as parents with their own children, even though the current system does not cost the district a penny; they want to increase the required hours to attend classes although Janesville has the highest number of required hours of any district of their size; they want to eliminate early retirement even though the numbers show they make money on the retirees when they replace them with less experienced teachers; exactly what part of their message was intended to show that they value the expertise in the classroom that they so like to tout to potential new businesses? Mind you, I can find more positive information about Janesville public schools away from Janesville. . . The only reason I can come up with is that they want to demonstrate their power over their employees. I guess that would be better done away from public view, behind closed doors.
May 21, 2009 at 6:24 p.m.
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The school board's initial proposal is an insult to every hard working teacher in our district. They're constantly quoting Quint Studer and the principles of his program. Apparently, the school board applies his principles to everything and everyone EXCEPT teachers. Start practicing what you preach or drop the program all together. Shame on you school board.
May 21, 2009 at 8:23 a.m.
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Outnumbered, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I'm not a teacher, but have a child in the district. To me, it is upsetting that this point was even raised as an issue for the board.
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I am confused as to why the board wants closed meetings? As a member of the public, I am very interested in what goes on at these meetings. Can anyone enlighten me, I feel that the reasons in the article are a little sketchy.
May 21, 2009 at 7:47 a.m.
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As a teacher in the district, I believe this is a slap in the face to all teachers. The school district's negotiators gave no reason for teachers to agree to their terms while Jim Reif gave reason after to reason as to why the district should agree to the JEA's terms (including the fact that it would be saving them money). Simply with this proposal, I do not feel like the district appreciates or recognizes the hard work that I put into my job. I, as well as a few other teachers I have talked to, am seriously considering leaving this district due to the lack of respect shown. I love my job, and I love the kids I see every day, but a person also has the right to feel respected by their employers. Is this what the taxpayers of Janesville want...an even higher teacher turnover (when Janesville already has the highest teacher turnover when comparing to similarily sized districts)?
May 20, 2009 at 10:37 p.m.
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I'm a teacher in the district, and it will make me sad (and my children) if I can't attend their school functions. I have 3 children...that means I can't even go to one function for each of them. I don't know anyone who "abuses" this. We attend their school sings and plays. The school district wants to encourage parent involvement, but when teachers are parents too, that doesn't apply. Very hypocritical! This doesn't even cost the district money because teachers need to find another staff member to volunteer to take over their classroom.
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