Collective Bargaining 2013

Where have we been and where we are going…

MDCPS Opening Offer

• 58 Step Monstrosity of a teacher schedule• No Step movement ever• No increases in pay• $41 million increase in healthcare

costs • $0 for ESP’s• Adopt SB-736 language regarding

Lay-off for teachers being strictly based on IPEGs ratings with no consideration of an employee’s contributions to the district

Bargaining Continued

• 11 more bargaining sessions• Increased public appearances of UTD• Bargaining Town Halls• Member Happy hours

• Increased public appearances of UTD Officers• Community events• Political events

• Community Organization• MEGAfest• Radio Show

An Agreement Is Reached

October 14th, 2013

Collective Bargaining 2013 WHAT THE AGREEMENT CONTAINS

Step Movement and Schedule Improvement▪ $70 Million Increase in pay to UTD bargaining Unit▪ Teacher Starting Pay of $40,500▪ Teacher Top Pay of $70,325

2.3% increase in pay and a bonus for ESP’s Kept a healthcare option with $0 premium for

employee coverage Eligibility for the RTTT distribution will include all

teachers with an evaluation, including those who have never before shared in the RTTT funding.

Healthcare Bands frozen again

Collective Bargaining 2013 WHAT THE AGREEMENT CONTAINS

Every teacher will receive at least the value of the expected step increase for the 2013-2014 year.

Bargaining Unit members will have a choice of 3 healthcare plans, an opt-out provision, debit cards for flexible spending accounts and group term life insurance.

Open enrollment will be scheduled immediately and new selections will be effective 1/1/2014. ▪ Employees will likely be able to compare healthcare options

with their spouses for the first time in years. New leave of absence provisions will become a

permanent part of the contract to allow additional teachers to take a leave without losing their Annual, Professional Service or Continuing Contracts.

Collective Bargaining 2013 WHAT THE AGREEMENT CONTAINS

Race to the Top▪ The grant is coming to an end.▪ $20 million is going to be spent this year▪ The pool of eligible employees is finally

increased to include every teacher▪ Based on the IPEGS summative evaluation ▪ Effective and Highly Effective are eligible▪ Teachers can expect in the area of $1000.

Collective Bargaining 2013 WHAT ABOUT THE CHANGES FOR SB-736?

SB-736 was passed in 2011▪ It was the first bill signed by Governor Scott▪ It was sponsored by a South Florida Legislator

We are bound by law to change our contract to comply with SB-736

The Law required that we change the Lay-off portions of our contract▪ Many of the changes that you find in the ratification materials are there

because of technical changes we must make rather than substantive changes

The language we have negotiated where the changes are substantive provides significant protections above the law for current and future employees.

Collective Bargaining 2013 WHAT ABOUT THE CHANGES FOR SB-736?

Of the substantive changes, the sections dealing with Reduction-In-Force (RIF) are the most significant and sensitive.

MDCPS has under the law, and has always had, the right to determine when a RIF is necessary. This does not change with this agreement.

The school board would have to vote to reduce the amount of employees during a public meeting. The would further need to indicate the subject area/program that needed to be released.

UTD has studied all of the agreements that have been reached around the state since the passage of SB-736.

The UTD team made strong demands to provide the best possible protections that still comply with the law.

Collective Bargaining 2013 WHAT ABOUT THE CHANGES FOR SB-736?

Before any teacher under contract could be subject to RIF, all probationary, and interim employees would have to be terminated.

If the RIF required that more employees be released than Interim and probationary employees then Annual Contract (AC)teachers would be considered.

The RIF would then proceed starting with AC teachers who would be ranked according to their performance evaluations.

If the RIF required that more than all of the AC teachers in the subject area/program were released than Professional Service Contract (PSC) teachers would be considered in the same manner.

Collective Bargaining 2013 OTHER CHANGES FOR COMPLIANCE WITH LAW Change the contract to bring it into compliance with law

regarding certification and accountability. Provides teachers with sufficient time to come into

compliance without jeopardy. Requires district to notify in writing all teacher who need to

come into compliance. Updated various compensation and payroll procedures.

Collective Bargaining 2013 Leave Option

We have put into the contract a significant leave. We have used the leave for the last 2 years under temporary

agreements Provides significant protection due to the changes made by

SB-736 Protects contract status that would otherwise be lost. No restrictions on outside work

This leave is mainly to protect one’s contractual status

▪ No Pay▪ No Benefits

Collective Bargaining 2013 IPEGS

Recognizing difficulties with the implementation of the IPEGS system, both sides have agreed to a committee to review IPEGS and update for the coming year.