Union knew of RIF was coming during the summer

This is the complete list of emails that were sent out in the month of June to Dallas ISD employees. As you will quickly see, June was a month filled with battle after battle to keep longevity pay and obtain a pay raise. No mention of RIF was made in any of the emails...

Aimee Bolender

--------
Regarding June 26, 2008 The Dallas Morning News article:

There are two issues:
Longevity Pay Held Harmless for teachers and other professionals; and
A one time bonus for groups of employees.

Longevity Pay will be paid as SALARY, not a one-time bonus.

A one-time bonus is on the table for a vote by the board. Which employees receive the one-time bonus is dependent on the AMOUNT of surplus that the district has in December 2008.

The bonus, said Kim Olson, will be paid first to the “lowest” paid employees. She said the plan is to pay it in January 2009. She has also said the details are open for negotiations. The highest paid administrators will NOT be considered for the bonus.

The bonus amount is dependent on SURPLUS—or savings from such things as electricity, etc, which employees can impact in part.

A bonus is not salary. It MOST likely will NOT count for TRS purposes.

Longevity pay is salary, and does count for TRS purposes.

To protestors:

wear a hat or bring an umbrella

wear black

walk from 4:15 to 4:40 pm at 3700 Ross Avenue

at 4:40 stop, face the building and link hands

at 4:45 file into the auditorium for the public hearing on the budget and school board meeting

**remain at the meeting until the budget is approved**

To speakers at the board meetings:

If you are speaking to the board, you must have registered by Wednesday.

If you are speaking to the board, keep it professional, respectful and dignified. Your comments should be timed less than 3 minutes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MEDIA RELEASE

On June 26, 2008 at from 4:15 pm to 4:45 pm at the Dallas ISD administration building at 3700 Ross Avenue, teachers and school employees will protest the proposed budget which freezes the salaries of some teaches and all support employees.

Included in the protest will be a black coffin and hand held signs.

The coffin will feature the words: Mourning the loss of: morale, trust, confidence, good faith and respect.

The hand held signs will communicate the messages: “Why praise, but no raise?” and “How low can morale go?

Employees will again be wearing black as they march in front of the administration prior to the 5:00 pm public hearing on the budget.

Media Release

At the June 26, 2008 school board meeting, Dallas ISD administration is seeking school board authorization for a one-time bonus for designated employee groups.

“The bonus cannot and does not replace a solid pay raise. However, it is the first positive move from the district that we have seen in many days.” said Rena Honea, Alliance/AFT Second Vice President.

“The bonus proposal may reduce some of the mounting hostility employees are currently feeling, especially among employees whose salaries will be frozen in 2008-2009,” continued Honea.

The Thursday, 4:15-4:45 pm, demonstration will continued as scheduled.

Media Release

On June 26, at 4:15 to 4:45 pm, Alliance/AFT is expecting significant numbers of teachers and school employees to protest the proposed freeze for the ensuing school year of approximately 3,000 teachers and all support personnel salaries.

Demonstrators will again be wearing black. This will be the third such protest.

The public demonstration will occur at the Dallas ISD administration building, 3700 Ross Avenue, prior to the 5:00 pm public hearing on the budget.

“The resentment felt by employees is growing in reverse proportion to their plummeting morale, “said Rena Honea, Alliance/AFT Second Vice President.

“Teachers are not satisfied that the hard working support employees and a fourth of all teachers are receiving nothing. They are incredulous that after all this praise about increased student performance, the district is simultaneously preparing to give the shaft to the school teams responsible for the gains,” continued Honea.

“The board has taken the positive action of agreeing not to cut longevity pay from the checks of almost 3,000 professionals. This is a victory that we view as significant, but it is not enough. Why? Because these same teachers will receive no pay raise next year,” concluded Honea.

Alliance/AFT is calling on the school board to approve a modest pay raise for all but the 50 highest paid Dallas administrators. The union has given administration and trustees a list of 21 places to look for the money to fund the pay raises.

The Dallas ISD School Board will approve the 2008-2009 budget, including compensation, at its regular 5:30 pm meeting on June 26.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Should administration and a majority of school board members adopt a "can do" attitude, Alliance/AFT has brought to their collective attention the following list of budget items where we believe potential dollars can be found for a cost of living increase for all teachers, professional school related personnel, including those with longevity pay, and school support employees.

The following list includes $57 million worth of potential dollars that could be used for pay raises.

As of today, approximately 3,000 teachers will receive no pay raise at all. The balance of teachers and school related employees will receive step advancement, equal to approximately 1.7%.

Support employees will receive no increase at all.

The good news is that those professionals receiving longevity pay will not have those dollars cut from their paychecks.

Possible District Funding Sources for Teacher and School Employee 2008-2009 Pay Raises

1. Begin an immediate program designed to save electrical costs throughout the district. (done in part)

2. Earmark proposed $13 million budget surplus in 2007-2008 for compensation in 2008-2009. (General Fund: Interim Financial Statements, April 30, 2008)

3. Leave $100 million in the fund balance. Take the remaining $9.5 million for compensation. (General Fund: Interim Financial Statements, April 30, 2008)

4. Replace $5 million from the maintenance budget with $5 million from bond improvements fund.

5. Eliminate the recently added ten additional workdays for principals for an estimated savings of $1 million.

6. Eliminate the recently added ten additional workdays for campus office personnel for an estimated savings of $600,000.

7. Fund the one-time audit improvements of $4.5 million from the fund balance or through Dallas Achieves or the Dallas Foundation.

8. The TERRP financial award for improved teacher attendance will result in reduced costs in substitute pay. Estimate a savings of $1 million and reduce the substitute budget by $1 million.

9. Reduce District costs by putting employees back to work expeditiously when cleared by OPR, savings the costs of substitutes and legal fees. Estimated savings of at least $ .5 million.

10. Aggressively use mediation/arbitration in negative employment actions to reduce district’s legal fees by $1 million.

11. Give no increases for selected administrators moved to new positions on June 17, 2008.

12. Use dollars from the High School Redesign Project and/or the bond to fund the changes required at Spruce, and possibly Samuell and/or Comstock. (Estimated savngs for Spruce is $1.5 million)

13. Trim the costs of the temporary personnel hired from Red River Staffing. (Project Manager, for example, is making $200 an hour or up to $36,000 in a single month. She is not the only person paid at this rate.)

14. Encourage Dallas County School District to increase its taxes by .5 cents, for an increase in income of $4.5 million

15. Accelerate the district-wide program for increasing student attendance. (This is a significant source of additional revenue—difficult to estimate how much.)

16. Flat line the central administration’s proposed 23% or $8.7 million increase in its budget. (Examples: Eliminate $1.5 million budget increase in Office of Professional Responsibility; Request that Dallas Foundation/Dallas Achieves pay for the “Financial Transformation” of $4.5 million.)

17. Identify “hidden” savings the district will realize when it holds schools to the district’s staffing formula. (Examples: Supply stipends, supply costs, substitute pay, etc.)

18. Report payment of STAR attendance awards in the actual year in which they will be paid into employee accounts. Estimated savings to budget of $1 million. (Attendance for employees in the 2008-09 school year cannot be calculated or paid until the 2009-2010 school year.)

19. Delete “group assessment” from the contracted services budget for a savings of $1.4 million.)

20. Use donated dollars from the Dallas Foundation to pay for the $2.65 million transformation management office.

21. Eliminate position of chief of staff or chief transformation officer (done in part) Estimated savings of $300,000 from budget.

Item
Amount

1
1

2
13

3
9.5

4
5

5
0.8

6
0.6

7
4.5

8
0.5

9
.5

10
1

11
0

12
1.5

13
0

14
4.5

15
0

16
8.7

17
0

18
1

19
1.4

20
2.65

21
0.3

TOTALS
56.95
MILLIONS

Should administration and a majority of school board members adopt a "can do" attitude, Alliance/AFT has brought to their collective attention the following list of budget items where we believe potential dollars can be found for a cost of living increase for all teachers, professional school related personnel, including those with longevity pay, and school support employees.

The following list includes $57 million worth of potential dollars that could be used for pay raises.

As of today, approximately 3,000 teachers will receive no pay raise at all. The balance of teachers and school related employees will receive step advancement, equal to approximately 1.7%.

Support employees will receive no increase at all.

The good news is that those professionals receiving longevity pay will not have those dollars cut from their paychecks.

Possible District Funding Sources for Teacher and School Employee 2008-2009 Pay Raises

1. Begin an immediate program designed to save electrical costs throughout the district. (done in part)

2. Earmark proposed $13 million budget surplus in 2007-2008 for compensation in 2008-2009. (General Fund: Interim Financial Statements, April 30, 2008)

3. Leave $100 million in the fund balance. Take the remaining $9.5 million for compensation. (General Fund: Interim Financial Statements, April 30, 2008)

4. Replace $5 million from the maintenance budget with $5 million from bond improvements fund.

5. Eliminate the recently added ten additional workdays for principals for an estimated savings of $1 million.

6. Eliminate the recently added ten additional workdays for campus office personnel for an estimated savings of $600,000.

7. Fund the one-time audit improvements of $4.5 million from the fund balance or through Dallas Achieves or the Dallas Foundation.

8. The TERRP financial award for improved teacher attendance will result in reduced costs in substitute pay. Estimate a savings of $1 million and reduce the substitute budget by $1 million.

9. Reduce District costs by putting employees back to work expeditiously when cleared by OPR, savings the costs of substitutes and legal fees. Estimated savings of at least $ .5 million.

10. Aggressively use mediation/arbitration in negative employment actions to reduce district’s legal fees by $1 million.

11. Give no increases for selected administrators moved to new positions on June 17, 2008.

12. Use dollars from the High School Redesign Project and/or the bond to fund the changes required at Spruce, and possibly Samuell and/or Comstock. (Estimated savngs for Spruce is $1.5 million)

13. Trim the costs of the temporary personnel hired from Red River Staffing. (Project Manager, for example, is making $200 an hour or up to $36,000 in a single month. She is not the only person paid at this rate.)

14. Encourage Dallas County School District to increase its taxes by .5 cents, for an increase in income of $4.5 million

15. Accelerate the district-wide program for increasing student attendance. (This is a significant source of additional revenue—difficult to estimate how much.)

16. Flat line the central administration’s proposed 23% or $8.7 million increase in its budget. (Examples: Eliminate $1.5 million budget increase in Office of Professional Responsibility; Request that Dallas Foundation/Dallas Achieves pay for the “Financial Transformation” of $4.5 million.)

17. Identify “hidden” savings the district will realize when it holds schools to the district’s staffing formula. (Examples: Supply stipends, supply costs, substitute pay, etc.)

18. Report payment of STAR attendance awards in the actual year in which they will be paid into employee accounts. Estimated savings to budget of $1 million. (Attendance for employees in the 2008-09 school year cannot be calculated or paid until the 2009-2010 school year.)

19. Delete “group assessment” from the contracted services budget for a savings of $1.4 million.)

20. Use donated dollars from the Dallas Foundation to pay for the $2.65 million transformation management office.

21. Eliminate position of chief of staff or chief transformation officer (done in part) Estimated savings of $300,000 from budget.

Item
Amount

1
1

2
13

3
9.5

4
5

5
0.8

6
0.6

7
4.5

8
0.5

9
.5

10
1

11
0

12
1.5

13
0

14
4.5

15
0

16
8.7

17
0

18
1

19
1.4

20
2.65

21
0.3

TOTALS
56.95
MILLIONS

June 16, 2008

2:00 pm

June 16, 2008

At a time when inflation is 4%, Alliance/AFT continues to advocate for a modest pay raise for Dallas ISD support employees.

“Never before has the school board left support employees out in the cold without a pay raise,” said Aimee Bolender, President, Alliance/AFT.

As of June 16, Alliance/AFT has evidence that there are four trustees who support a pay raise for school employees: Adam Medrano, Lew Blackburn, Ron Price and Carla Ranger. However, four votes are not enough. At least one more school board member will have to join these Compassionate Four to make the difference.

“The board has been repeatedly told by administration that Dallas ISD support employees are the highest paid in the area. The fact of the matter is, they are still the working poor. A teacher assistant making $23,000 a year is not living high on the hog, especially when the assistant is financially supporting a family, “continued Bolender.

“The very administrators, who keep insisting that support employees are overpaid, are the same ones whose salaries are between $180,000 and $330,000 a year. These elite administrators also have fully paid health insurance for themselves and their families—not so for the working poor,” Bolender concluded.

These administrators are so out of touch with the people working in our schools that next we expect these highly paid administrators to say to support employees, “Problem solved. If you can’t afford fuel for your car, then just take a taxi cab to work?”

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The board briefing on June 12, 2008 showed we have moved the compensation ball a little in the right direction, but not enough.

Teachers

Teachers are still expected to receive a step. All teachers will move to the next step. Teachers at the top will also receive a pay raise. The step advancement, however, is small--approximately 1.7%

Teachers and Professionals with Longevity Pay

Longevity Pay will be frozen for those currently receiving it. Those people receiving longevity pay will be held harmless.

No one will be allowed to move onto or up to the next level, even if the person currently meets the requirements.

The receivers of the longevity pay will be "held harmless." This is what the district means by held harmless: The district will freeze the salaries of those individuals at the 2007-08 rate, including the longevity pay, until the salary the professionals would receive in future years equals or exceeds the frozen amount. At the time the pay will be unfrozen and the professional will be eligible for pay raises.

Therefore, in 2008-2009, teachers and professional support employees will not have their pay reduced by the longevity pay amounts. Only those receiving the least amount of longevity pay will receive a very, very, very small increase. (about $290)

Support Employees

While there were four board members who spoke for or indicated they wanted support employees to receive a pay raise, there were NOT five votes.

The four trustees working actively for a support/campus employee pay raise were: Lew Blackburn, Carla Ranger, Ron Price and Adam Medrano.

Now, we must work to get a fifth vote, very soon for a support pay raise. The "swing vote" as Alliance/AFT sees it is Jerome Garza. It would help for him to receive communication from his constituents on this issue.

The unwillingness of the majority of the board to speak in favor or a support pay raise was demoralizing. This was VERY disappointing.

We have a lot more work to do to get support employees the raise they deserve.

$250 Supply Stipend

The teacher supply stipend remains for 2008-2009.

Other Stipends

The math stipend has gone up to $4,000. All other stipends will remain the same.

Health Insurance Premiums

Premium rates are not increasing for the next year. This is good news, because in the past an increase in rates has eaten up pay raises.

Incentive Money

Administration continues to talk about the fact that employees who "work hard and get results" will receive bonus dollars from the various federal and state sources.

The district is going to a "performance based model" for compensation. There are problems with this thinking—one is that bonus pay is not a substitute for a cost of living increase. Not all employees teach/work in schools where incentive pay is an option.

Value Added Compensation Package

Policy changes have been proposed which will not cost the district any money, but will make a difference in the lives of teachers and school employees.

Closing

This is the quick summary of where we are on our pay raise fight following yesterday's school board briefing. (June 12, 2008)

Constituents of Jerome Garza should contact him, and speak in favor of a support employee pay raise equal to the one the board is approving for teachers. Mr. Garza's district is the Sunset-Adamson High School area. The best way to reach Mr. Garza is via his board office. Call 972-925-3700 and ask for the board assistant for Mr. Garza.

June 13, 2008

8:20 am

Alliance/AFT

The board briefing on June 12, 2008 showed we have moved the compensation ball a little in the right direction, but not enough.

Teachers

Teachers are still expected to receive a step. All teachers will move to the next step. Teachers at the top will also receive a pay raise. The step advancement, however, is small--approximately 1.7%

Teachers and Professionals with Longevity Pay

Longevity Pay will be frozen for those currently receiving it. Those people receiving longevity pay will be held harmless.

No one will be allowed to move onto or up to the next level, even if the person currently meets the requirements.

The receivers of the longevity pay will be "held harmless." This is what the district means by held harmless: The district will freeze the salaries of those individuals at the 2007-08 rate, including the longevity pay, until the salary the professionals would receive in future years equals or exceeds the frozen amount. At the time the pay will be unfrozen and the professional will be eligible for pay raises.

Therefore, in 2008-2009, teachers and professional support employees will not have their pay reduced by the longevity pay amounts. Only those receiving the least amount of longevity pay will receive a very, very, very small increase. (about $290)

Support Employees

While there were four board members who spoke for or indicated they wanted support employees to receive a pay raise, there were NOT five votes.

The four trustees working actively for a support/campus employee pay raise were: Lew Blackburn, Carla Ranger, Ron Price and Adam Medrano.

Now, we must work to get a fifth vote, very soon for a support pay raise. The "swing vote" as Alliance/AFT sees it is Jerome Garza. It would help for him to receive communication from his constituents on this issue.

The unwillingness of the majority of the board to speak in favor or a support pay raise was demoralizing. This was VERY disappointing.

We have a lot more work to do to get support employees the raise they deserve.

$250 Supply Stipend

The teacher supply stipend remains for 2008-2009.

Other Stipends

The math stipend has gone up to $4,000. All other stipends will remain the same.

Health Insurance Premiums

Premium rates are not increasing for the next year. This is good news, because in the past an increase in rates has eaten up pay raises.

Incentive Money

Administration continues to talk about the fact that employees who "work hard and get results" will receive bonus dollars from the various federal and state sources.

The district is going to a "performance based model" for compensation. There are problems with this thinking—one is that bonus pay is not a substitute for a cost of living increase. Not all employees teach/work in schools where incentive pay is an option.

Value Added Compensation Package

Policy changes have been proposed which will not cost the district any money, but will make a difference in the lives of teachers and school employees.

Closing

This is the quick summary of where we are on our pay raise fight following yesterday's school board briefing. (June 12, 2008)

Constituents of Jerome Garza should contact him, and speak in favor of a support employee pay raise equal to the one the board is approving for teachers. Mr. Garza's district is the Sunset-Adamson High School area. The best way to reach Mr. Garza is via his board office. Call 972-925-3700 and ask for the board assistant for Mr. Garza.

June 13, 2008

8:20 am

Alliance/AFT

Why:

Administration’s compensation proposal is as follows:

1. Step advancement for only teachers—

2. Total cut of longevity pay, not holding harmless those already receiving it.

3. No one else, including support employees, will receive a pay raise, not even a cost of living adjustment.

Teachers and school employees need to be clear that this proposal is not acceptable. To be clear, you must participate in the Mourning Walk.

Teachers and school employees need to be clear that this proposal is not acceptable. To be clear, you must participate in the Mourning Walk.

Teachers and school employees need to be clear that this proposal is not acceptable. To be clear, you must participate in the Mourning Walk.

If you wait until next fall to show your unhappiness, it will be too late.

What:

Teacher, Staff, and School Related Employee Mourning Walk

When:

Thursday, June 12:

10:30 am until 11:00 am

11:30 am board meeting

1. 10:30 to 10:50 am, quietly walk

2. 10:50 to 11:00 am, stop, face the building, link hands.

3. 11:30 am, school board meeting, where salaries will be discussed.

Where:

Dallas ISD administration building, 3700 Ross Avenue

This is a very serious issue.

· Wear black.

· No unnecessary talking.

· No chanting or signs.

· Wear a hat or use an umbrella.

· Bring water to drink.

*AFTER THE MOURNING WALK, ATTEND THE 11:30 AM SCHOOL BOARD BRIEFING INSIDE THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.

On the agenda, among many other things, including the potential closing of Spruce High School will be the 2008-2009 budget.

Reminder of the Rules of Operation for the Mourning Walk

1. Do no demonstrate on private or district property. Demonstrate on public property only, i.e., sidewalks.

2. Do not block entrances or exits of the parking lots.

3. Do not solicit students to participate in the walk. (Unless they are your own children.)

As of June 6, 2008, teachers and school employees have mailed 2969 personal messages via note cards to the nine Dallas ISD school board members.

“School board members are hearing from teachers and support employees in unprecedented high numbers. District employees are unified in their fight for the preservation of longevity pay for teachers and at least a cost of living increase for all school based employees,” commented Rena Honea, Alliance/AFT Second Vice President.

Alliance/AFT is now gearing up for the second of three Mourning Walks. The next Walk will be on Thursday, June 12, 10:30 am to 11:00 am, 3700 Ross Avenue. This Mourning Walk precedes the school board briefing at 11:00 am.

“It is worth noting that the proposed cut in veteran teacher salaries and the failure of administration to find the dollars for at least a 4% cost of living increase is creating strong solidarity among Dallas employees. While teachers appreciate the pat on the back they have received for improved student performance this year, it is not enough to overcome the negative message of administration’s compensation proposal,” said Ms. Honea.

June 4 Mourning Walk: Rules of Operation

Regarding today’s Compensation “Mourning Walk” at Roosevelt High School, 4 until 4:30 pm.

Dallas ISD Chief of Police Blackburn was informed of our demonstration. He directed us to follow three rules, thereby avoiding any legal problems:

Do no demonstrate on private property. Demonstrate on public property only, i.e., sidewalks, not school property.
Do not block any entrances or exits from the school parking lots, or private drive ways.
Do not solicit students to participate in the walk. (Unless they are your own children.)

Remember to bring water, wear a hat, or carry an umbrella. Car pool when feasible.

No signs. No unnecessary talking. No chanting. Wear something black.

Alliance/AFT

June 4, 2008

I've gotten a couple of email requests ala "where are the letter that were going to be posted?"

Does anyone have a copy?

As a Texas teacher for 15 years, I share the blame for this as much as the rest of the profession. We do NOT, I repeat, do NOT have a union. Texas teachers have organizations that do not have collective bargaining power. The strength of the union lies in collective bargaining. While seen as an evil by many, I would urge others to investigate states with teachers' unions. The extreme teacher shortage Texas suffers does not afflict many of these states with unions. Please ask yourself why.

Also, please beware of vertical unions. These organizations allow management to join the same group as the workers. For some strange reason (sorry for the sarcasm), the same people who run the schools and make the large salaries often have more influence in vertical unions than the lowly and poorly paid workers.

Do we, as a profession, advocate enough for our profession? Do we demand the respect and treatment owed a professional? Do we fight for benefits? Do we put aside our petty differences for the greater good? Do we spend some of our precious free time learning ways to improve Texas schools? The day Texas teachers decide enough is enough and begin to exercise a bit of the power we hold through sheer numbers, we may actually surprise ourselves with what we can accomplish.

As a voting block, Texas teachers have the power to elect virtually anyone. And yet, we sit back and allow others to make choices for schools that we know are harmful to our students. If we are not strong enough or brave enough to stand up for ourselves, we should at least do so for those whose very futures are entrusted into our care.

Allen-
I posted my comments two times... I don't know why they do not appear on the blog.

During those previous two times, I went back and copied all Alliance/AFT emails into this blog for the month of June, and of course, there was no evidence that Alliance/AFT knew of the RIF before everyone else knew about it--because we did not.

Suffice it to say that there is no evidence in any of the emails that we sent out in June or at any other time that we had prior knowledge of the RIF.

I don't know why this former teacher from Roosevelt (I believe) would wonder who he can trust, but so be it.

Well, one thing is missing here: the email message. Perhaps you would be good enough to post it? At that point, I believe a debate would be more apropos.

It's difficult to say "you can't trust 'x' because of what they said in an email" without being able to review the email :)

Aimee Bolender