April 25, 2013 | |
Portland Association
of Teachers
345 NE 8th Avenue
Portland, OR 97232
Phone: 503-233-5018
Fax: 503-236-5255
www.patpdx.org
BARGAINING TEAM
Bill Wilson
Committee Chair
Science Teacher
Grant H.S.
Shannon Baker
First Grade Teacher
James John E.S.
David Child
Science Teacher 6-8
Woodlawn PreK-8 School
Susan Stone
Teacher-Librarian TOSA
Library Services, BESC
Steve Lancaster
Social Sciences Teacher
Lincoln H.S.
Chelyn Joseph
James John E.S.
Ainsworth E.S.
Marty Pavlik
PAT UniServ Consultant
ENGAGE
  
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�2013
Portland Association
of Teachers
UPCOMING BARGAINING MEETINGS:
Bargaining meetings are open to the public. You are welcome to attend.
April 29, 10 - 5 PM, PAT May 7, 4 - 8 BESC
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Tonight the District and Association met to review each other's proposals. The process was respectful, though concerning.
First the District asked questions about PAT's proposal. Our message was clear- educators' top interest is the creation of quality schools for Portland students. When answering a question around PAT's proposal to limit class size and caseloads, PAT spokesperson and UniServ Consultant Marty Pavlik stated, "Pushing more kids into classes or onto caseloads or student loads-that is awful. You can't personalize instruction when that happens. Our goals should be better than that. We should aspire for better than what we have right now."
After the District's questions concluded, it was the Association's turn to get clarification on the District's proposal. It appeared that the District's theme was clear as well: management's rights come first. According to management spokesperson Brock Logan, "If the contract doesn't specify it, management can do whatever they want."
An example: The District's proposal eliminates ALL workload language. The Association asked if this meant that the district could add any type of workload requirements that they wanted.
Brock Logan: " Yep."
Alarming.
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TAKE-BACKS:What are they and why should you care?
For years, the District has worked with the educators of PPS in order to define fair working conditions. We know that healthy working conditions for educators mean healthy learning conditions for our students.
Those conditions are outlined and defined within your contract. In their latest proposal, the District is trying to strip the contract of employee rights and positive working conditions. Item after item is being taken back-taking away the rights of Portland professional educators and giving more power into the hands of the administration.
Your bargaining team believes that TAKE BACKS take us further away from the kinds of schools that Portland students deserve. Together we will stand strong against the stripping of our working conditions and learning conditions for our students.
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Did you know that if you accepted the District's proposal today, you would have NO pay increase for 4 YEARS?
7 years of frozen wages
=
Disrespect.
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TIMELINE Update: District seeks to implement punishing contract as quickly as possible.
Why do we think the above statement is accurate? The District pushed to meet formally, instead of working in a more collaborative process. This begins the bargaining timeline. At tonight's session, the District stated that they are intending to adhere closely to timelines-which would mean that they could implement their entire offer in late Fall.
We also received a letter from the District tonight that disavowed past practices in five different areas -- which means that they will be implementing certain sections of their proposal, starting July 1. This includes PREP TIME WITHIN THE STUDENT DAY.
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TONIGHT'S TOTAL TAKE-BACKS: 60 - 70
We scrutinized the district's proposal and asked a variety of clarifying questions.
TAKE-BACKS ranged from topics as varied as prep time, workload, evaluations, complaint procedures, grievance, transfers, insurance, family leave, and so on.
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EYE ON OUR PROPOSAL
Research shows that the healthiest schools have positive collaborative relationships between administration and professional educators. With that in mind, we have proposed the following language in the section of the contract titled "Workload."
Collaboration on Workload Decisions:
The District recognizes that demands upon professional educators' time and effort are pressing. The District, therefore, agrees to involve professional eductors in decisions that impact their work load such as schedules, meetings and in-service.
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