From Harford County Public Schools:
The Board of Education of Harford County and three of the five employee associations reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the disbursement of the County Executive’s proposed $1,250 stipend for all county employees.
On Tuesday, November 1, 2011, the County Executive presented legislation to the County Council that would potentially authorize the payment of a stipend for all county employees. The funding is pending the County Council approval, which is slated to occur at their meeting on Tuesday, December 6, 2011.
Per the Collective Bargaining Agreements, the Board of Education entered into discussions with the five employee bargaining units to potentially amend the existing contracts to allow for the distribution of the stipends, if approved by the County Council in December.
The three units that signed the MOU to accept the distribution of the funds are the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the Association of Public School Administrators and Supervisors of Harford County (APSASHC) and the Association of Harford County Administrative, Technical and Supervisory Professionals (AHCATSP). The employees represented by these three units will most likely receive the first payment of $625 before the holidays in December.
Two other employee units have yet to sign an MOU with the Board of Education regarding the distribution of the funds. The Harford County Educational Services Council (HCESC), which represents more than 900 instructional support, nurses and clerical professionals in the county, has chosen not to enter an agreement at this time, however they are willing to sign once funding has been approved by the County Council.
At this time, the Harford County Education Association (HCEA), which represents approximately 3,200 Harford County Public Schools employees, including teachers, guidance counselors, psychologists, media specialists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech and hearing clinicians, has elected not to respond to the offer regarding the $1,250 disbursement.
“We are grateful to the County Executive for providing funding for a stipend for our employees,” said Superintendent Robert M. Tomback. “We are hopeful that we will reach an agreement quickly with the remaining two associations in order to allow all employees to receive the first payment before the holidays.”
Copies of the MOUs may be found on the Board of Education’s Collective Bargaining webpage, which can be found on the school system website at www.hcps.org by clicking on the ‘Board’ tab.
Watch HCEA will end costing its members there chance at some money. They will call it taking a stand or some other garbage. If this happens I will just take my HCEA dues back please.
Old teacher, clearly neither the county executive or HCPS can be trusted to negotiate in good faith with anyone. They have not given any county employees a salary step in 3 years but have accumulated excess revenues of 30+ million dollars and 11 million dollars respectively. If teachers are ever going to receive a permanent salary increase, which this 1 time payment is not, teachers need to demand that this “bonus” is rolled into the 11 million dollars of excess HCPS funds that are to be renegotiated into permanent salary increases. Otherwise, what is to keep these “handouts” from becoming the way the county government and HCPS do business with their teachers.
“OLD TEACHER”, you have a glaring mistake that is inappropriate for a “teacher”. The word “their” shows possession, so using the phrase “there chance at some money” makes me hope you were perhaps a math or science teacher. Oh, dear.
Good call, Brenda!
Brenda
Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
This is particularly appropriate at this time because you “glaringly” used an interjection at the end of your post. “Oh, dear.” The problem is you should have used an exclamation point and not a period. Period use is reserved exclusively for complete sentences, which this is not. Literacy Patrol demonstrated the proper format for you. I just wanted to let you know before you quit your day job to become Grammatician you may want to sharpen those skills! Either that or become a bit more tactful!
@Cdev – You’re the last person on this forum who should be criticizing grammar or spelling.
Not criticizing grammar and spelling as much as I am pointing out the hypocrisy of those who do this to others instead of adding anything of substance to the discussion.
HCEA must fight for collective bargaining. The other three unions have “Me Too” clauses which allow them to get what HCEA gets. We have no choice.
Everyone with half a brain understands why HCEA is refusing to accept the “Bonus” money. It is just disheartening because HCEA is failed organization, and it fails everytime. Why has membership plummetted??? They have failed the teachers at every turn. I laugh at those of you that call it “Union”…bahhaah. It is an association with extremely little pathetic power. It has done nothing but erode teacher power and pay. The county teachers are willing to work to contract or walk on sports or even take a serious stand….but poor leadership from the ASSOCIATION just rolls over again. Sad.
Get involved. Become a leader.
Brenda, we do not need a lesson in English we need a pay raise and this stipend.
HCEA PRESIDENT SALARY ACCORDING TO TAX FILINGS
2007= $86,869 + an expense account
2008= $89,244 + an expense account
2009= $105,206 + an expense account…this represents 40% of all membership dues and assessments.
Can’t find more recent data…but it seems as though the head of HCEA is not hurting like teachers…pathetic.
I will be getting my bonus by way of union dues because I am coming out of this pathetic Union. I don’t trust them or the Board to do right by teachers. This is almost funny. Teachers we need to take a stand. I feel every teacher catching a cold on the same day. We should all CALL OUT SICK!!!!!!
WE need you involved…not quitting…
@CDEV 2 – Why not really show them and quit?
Today I quit the HCEA Union. There are 9 other teachers I work with that are doing the same. This one time bonus has nothing to do with our grievance against the BOE. We should accept the county executives offer and be thankful. And by the way, the HCEA Union president makes too much money for the little results he has shown us. Go back into the classroom Randy Cervany and we’ll see if you want that bonus or not.
The union is worthless. I wonder if they are aware that there is so much fear this year amongst teachers that it is reminiscent of living in a communist state. For the first time in my career as a teacher in HCPS, there is a huge divide between the administration and the staff. I have seen more teachers crying this year than ever. Not only is morale down, but teachers are afraid not only of being creative with instruction, but to share even the slightest opinion or admit any weakness in front of the administration. Teachers are being slammed left and right all of a sudden. This phenomena has given birth to numerous conspiracy theories — for example, there is a quota of teachers that need to be marked unsuccessful. The interesting part is that I thought this feeling was only in my school. Not so. When I attended a recent staff development it seems that it is a fear that is enveloping the entire county. With this kind of atmosphere, teachers need more help than ever and they are getting nothing from HCEA. If the union can’t help, who will?
One thing that HCEA is responsible for in the very near future is helping to create a teacher evaluation form. The new evaluation system is scaring a lot of teachers. I admit to being one of those teachers in tears last year, and I am thanking God that this is not one of my evaluation years. That being said, I will be signing up as a part of a teacher focus group that will help to develop a suitable evaluation form for the county. The interim-state superintendent has already vocalized his disapproval of the state created evaluation system and is encouraging the counties to develop their own. The last thing HCPS wants is the state system. There will be different focus groups based on grade level and content area. Please sign up to be a part of one of these groups. We teachers try to create safe environments for our students, but the our evaluation system is hardly making teachers feel safe; this MUST change.
That is a big salary for doing nothing, Kinda sound like congress.
just quit the union go ahead and work for minimum wage, loose your sick time, loose your annual time, loose everything youve fought for, you scabs
That’s right IAGRP; If the union folds, the teachers will all go to minimum wage and lose all of their benefits! What planet are you from by the way?
The market drives our salary not the Union. Harford County tries to keep up with Baltimore and Cecil Counties when it comes to salary. The Union does not help teachers in Harford County,if they did we would not have teachers on plans of assistance when it is not merited, we would not have teachers physically assaulted by students with no consequence and our salary would not be historically the lowest paid in the state. I am quitting TODAY. The Union should have asked teachers to determine how they felt about the BONUS.
I agree. I have worked for HCPS for over 20 years and could not give you an example of where the “union” stuck it’s neck out to support either an individual teacher or the collective group. This year alone I have seen three teachers ask for the unions help and were told that they couldn’t do anything. At times, teachers had difficulty even getting a reply to a request. I have never joined HCEA because originally the only selling point they gave me was protection in the case of a lawsuit. If I had seen evidence of its effectiveness throughout my years, I would have joined in a heartbeat. Is it legal to start a new union? If so, we should do it. There are so many creative ways to get the attention of the BOE and the citizens of HCPS (who if they ONLY knew some of the things that go on…) and do right by the kids of this county.
Okay, before you get on my back…it should have been ITS, not IT’S. Premature send.
“Lose” for crying out loud, not “loose”. “Loose” means the opposite of tight. Learn to spell!
Nothing worse than a greedy HCEA Union President trying to explain to a struggling teacher why the money was turned down especially when he is making three times what many young teachers are making. Time to get out of the union! He is out for himself with that big salary…your union dues.
First this is a message board which is the same as texting. I didn’t know we were going to be graded for responses.
As far as HCEA goes, never joined, and never will. Not a union, and it is against the law to strike in MD. The arguement of paying minimum wage is the dumbest thing I have ever seen or heard. If they start cutting pay everyone will leave, and sure they may find replacements, but how many and how good will they be.
Cerveny has alot of guts if that is his actual salary (one which a teacher could never get). Remember this is the same family that after his wife was named teacher of the year she took that honor and left for another county.
The “texting” cop-out works to some extent when you’re abbreviating a word. In this case, a letter was added 🙂
In 2008 your HCEA collected $266,666 in dues and assessments from you….they only spent $3,915 of that on NEGOTIATIONS…WOW. They spent nearly as much on Custodial Expenses at $2,400. Darn Shame…oh yeah they spent $12,584 on trying to get new members for the Ponzi scheme. Even if you through in the $15,889 on their taxes for conferences and meetings it still makes you wonder…why so little out of $266,666….hmmm. Bet it just gets worse when I look at 2009 next….Gobble Gobble.
I know Word Nazi’s it should be “throw” instead of “through” so please dont crucify me…lol.
Owe and Nazi’s is supposed to be Nazzis or is it just Nazi, like deer…but I digress. See how silly this wordsmithing can get. Everyone knows a turkey can’t spell anyway.
Twelve and a half grand on trying to recruit new members? Is that broken down in to exactly what was spent? I’ll bet Madoff didn’t even spend that much recruiting. Actually, they wouldn’t need to spend a dime if their did something to help teachers. Actions and results are the best advertisement.
No, not broken down. And it looks like they reduced that amount to only $4,000 or so last year but still only spent $3,000 or so on negotiations. You can check the 09-10 return at the link at the bottom….or look up any non-profit that files a 990 or 990EZ at
http://foundationcenter.org/findfunders/990finder/
Oh, and Owe should be Oh…silly me.
The Turkey can keep giving you info. or you can check out the most recent tax return filing here….
http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990_pdf_archive/520/520855686/520855686_201008_990EO.pdf
A CHALLENGE TO ANYONE…CALL UP THE HCEA AND ASK WHAT RANDY’S SALARY IS FOR THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR 09/10-08/11…I BET THEY DON’T GIVE IT TO YOU.
It is the same as the previous year. Any member has a right to view the financial reports. Ask your building rep.
It is disapointing to hear so many teachers say that they are no longer going to be members of the HCEA. Obviously the HCEA is not perfect, but without it, teachers will not have a voice, other than to quit teaching in Harford County. The HCEA may not spend our does always as it should, but the HCEA was responsible for taking HCPS to court regarding the ability to negotiate our healthcare and as a result, forced HCPS to bring back our old health insurance plans. They have also, by going to the labor board, forced HCPS to renegotiate our salary steps with the extra 11 million they have. Just because the HCEA hands are often tied and they do not always win, does not mean that you should give up them. Now more than ever teachers need to come together and push back those that want to pay less for the services we provide. The leadership at the HCEA may not be the best, so change it if that is how you fell. But giving up on the HCEA will result in teachers losing even more than what we have already lost. Stop thinking about the short term and consider the next 10-20 years of education in this county.
HCEA is committed to fighting for an equitable and legal distribution of the funds offered by the County Executive. More importantly, HCEA is committed to defending the original negotiated agreement made between HCEA and the Board that included cost-of-living, step, and longevity increases. Since the County did not fund these increases, HCEA returned to the table to re-negotiate the funds for these raises, as directed by Maryland law.
In order to substantiate or refute the BOE claim, HCEA retained an outside auditor to advise us in the matter of the school system’s ability to fund some portion of the agreement. In light of the findings of additional funds by our auditor, HCEA did not accept the Board’s offer of a one day off in lieu of these raises and appealed our case to the newly formed Labor Board. We argued that the school system did not follow the guidelines of bargaining in good faith and did have funds for the agreement.
The Labor Board agrees with us and has ordered the the parties to engage in good faith renegotiations under their guidance. On Dec. 16, the Labor Board will conduct a hearing to determine what money should be made available to fund the original negotiated agreement, or a portion thereof. Any upgrade to your salary schedule will raise your base amount and be returned year after year, not just once. (See the chart below to compare what a teacher receiving an average step increase with a SPC would receive over 5 years vs. what David Craig is offering teachers)
By signing the Memorandum of Understanding, HCEA would be going outside of the very bargaining laws that we’ve fought so very hard to gain and to enforce. It would not be in the best interests of our members.
The County Executive’s proposal to bypass the Board of Education and collective bargaining sets a very dangerous precedent for the future. Such a precedent would mean a much-reduced voice for educators in determining pay scales, health insurance and other working conditions.
As we’ve seen in Wisconsin, Ohio, and other places across the nation, this is just another attempt to divide employees and strip us of our collective power. The tactics of the County Executive are nothing more than an effort to buy us off and take control from us.
We must stay united. You can help by emailing, calling, and/or writing letters to the County Council and School Board members asking them to “honor their commitments to the public school employees of Harford County by fully funding negotiated salary increases.”
What will be in your pocket after 5 years?
(Assuming a minimum increase of 1 step, and 1% COLA for those beyond steps)
*Avg. step increase with Standard Professional Certificate (SPC) for first 10 years = $1,300
**1% COLA with 15 years experience = $641
Negotiated Agreement Salary Scale County Exec’s Bonus
Step 1% COLA $1,250 “Bonus”
Year 1 $1,300 $641 $1,250
Year 2 $1,300 $641 $0
Year 3 $1,300 $641 $0
Year 4 $1,300 $641 $0
Year 5 $1,300 $641 $0
TOTAL $6,500 $3,205 $ 1,250
Retirement: added to your benefit Not added to
your benefits
Sincerely,
Randy Cerveny – President HCEA
Earlier I posted a link to the tax forms which are public for the 501(c) 5 non-profit HCEA only to have it banned by the dagger…lol. This info. (their 990-EZ) is a matter of public knowledge they must disclose??? What, is The Dagger in bed with Randy??? Randy—how was yesterday??? Fun to see many members leave the Association??? Finally broke and wrote an explanation to the troops? In my last banned post I challenged any member to call and ask the salary for the President of the HCEA for this year.. Is it still 105,000 or did it go up while we got nothing???
Why hasn’t the brilliant leadership of the assoc. hired a qualified lawyer with the $260,000 dues they get to draw up a contract that stipulates the fact that this payment is a one time separate stipend outside, & non-impacting on step/raise negotiations. (which it is)….oh, yeah that would require money to hire a real lawyer & might cut into the 40% gobbled up by your salary. Oh, that’s right, if you combine these DIFFERENT issues & risk the loss…you MIGHT be able to get both…& of course, you might lose again. Why did the other assoc. agree? They are stupid right? Come on man. Quit the propaganda e-mails.
The money all comes from the same pie. Why not take your concerns to Dave Craig?
What is your success rate in negotiating funded step/salary/COLA increases? Oh yeah, 0 for?
That warrants a $16,000+ raise???? WTF?
Turkeydick, I mean gobbler, I’m going to assume you are not a teacher and your motivation in attacking the HCEA is to promote the republican ideology that labor organizations are bad for our community and the country. I will agree that the HCEA is far from perfect, it’s administration appears weak at times and is limited in its capabilities. But suggesting, as many others have on this post, that teachers should give up on the HCEA at this crucial time is, in my opinion, counterproductive. Since you disagree with me, what do you suggest teachers do if they shouldn’t support the HCEA? Should teachers just keep there dues and hope for the best? Quit teaching in Harford County? Or take lower wages that the selfish Harford County taxpayers expect its public servants to earn while still providing the same services? My suggestions is for teachers to stand together, stop providing services that we are no longer compensated for and even stop taking on extra duties that are compensated. I just hope that the HCEA takes a strong position if these renegotiations fail. The HCEA should call for all teachers to work only to their contracted duty hours. If not, I will also stop paying my dues. Let’s see what happens.
The great thing about this country is that you have the right to work somewhere else if you don’t like your current job. Reading your comments above, I encourage you to quit.
I don’t remember saying I didn’t like my current job, although there are certainly problems to fix. But thanks for the encouragement. I will remember your suggestion though while I’m teaching your children, especially when they tell me that they don’t like going to school. I’ll remember to tell them that the great thing about this country is that they can quit going school and get a job without an education. I’m sure that will solve thier problems.
What is also great about this county is labor groups like the HCEA have the right to organize and place pressure on their employers. I think I’ll give that a shot and reevaluate the stance HCEA has taken once renegotiations are over.
I’m sure you realize there are many more alternatives to improving our educational system in Harford County then having its teachers quit.
Don’t need all the teachers to quit, just the malcontents.
Selfish Taxpayer, to your comment below, that’s like saying all of the malcontent taxpayers should move to another county if they don’t like it in Harford County. Obviously it’s not that simple. Why not try to make the situation better for everyone, which will require all of us, taxpayers, county employeees and politicians to work together? We won’t all get what we want, but we should be able to find some compromise. These posts are usually incredibly polarized. Seem familiar?
As your comment above means that you should be treated the same as a child
As your comment above means that you should be treated the same as a child, hence your need to have a union negotiate for you.
And like a child you fail to recognize how the world works. I guess those who hire lawyers to represent them in court are children, those who hire agents to negotiate professional sports contracts are children, those who vote for politicians to represent their best interests are children, etc. Labor groups are not going away, no matter how hard the political right tries to undermine their authority. But, as you are free to do, try as you like. And feel free to resort to name calling, but at least throw in some rationality to your responses.
Thomas Paine in the azz, you are quite wrong. A turkey teacher I am. Now you are talking my kind of turkey. Work to contract, no sports until comparable pay, and any other tactics we can use, including the use of dues appropriately to adress this & all issues. Just stop mixing apples & oranges. Take a stand. Teachers are ready to act. Lead or get the heck out of the way.
I’m glad we can agree on the tactics, however, I do believe that the HCEA plays a role that teachers alone cannot fill. Hopefully the association will ask teachers to take serious steps toward limiting the services schools provide if renegotiations fail. If not, HCEA leadership needs to step down. My apologies on the name calling…it is the night before Thanksgiving.
Teachers like you are exactly who we need teaching our kids.
Teachers that work only to their contracts are what you have been paying for. Fortunately for you that is not the service you have been receiving from teachers like me. Hopefully HCPS and HCEA can come to a compromise, otherwise many teachers will begin to cut back on the services they provide that they aren’t compensated for. I don’t think anyone wants that.
But you are lucky as hell to have teachers like me going above and beyond what we are paid to do. Sorry that teachers won’t just role over and take what you think is the appropriate compensation.
Many teachers have already cut back. I used to buy materials and lesson props to make the learning experience better for my students. I no longer can afford to do that and even if I could I do not know that I would. I and many other teachers feel that our extra efforts are taken for granted, that these out of pocket expenses are expected of us, and if we do not provide them we are somehow bad teacher or unappreciative employees. I am tired of providing simple things like tissues and hand sanitizer for my classroom. When I ask students (high school) to contribute they scoff at me and say it is MY responsibility to provide these items in addition to being at their beck and call for after school help, which frequently is them wanting me to reteach a lesson that didn’t any attention too, or give them the answers because they are too lazy to work to find the answer. I do not mind helping students that really try and need the extra help but this attitude of entitlement by students and an unwillingness by support teachers by local government and the superintendent has me seriously thinking this will be my last year as a public school teacher.
Selfish, I hardly see how you can be picky when you pay like crap up here.
Agreed, I will be under the knife tomorrow. Wish me well & hopefully we will see the HCEA pull through for us all.
So sad to hear all of the continuing problems in Harford County. I got out last year and now teach in another county. I have better pay and am working with a wonderful principal that truly knows how to lead other professionals. My last school remains under a “bully” principal. She is NOT a leader. She cannot spell or write in an intelligent manner. She continues to terrorize new and veteran teachers. According to old friends, the new AP appears to be a wonderful person with good leadership abilities combined with a warm, human approach. Stick with HCEA folks….it’s all you have.
“The County Executive’s proposal to bypass the Board of Education and collective bargaining sets a very dangerous precedent for the future. Such a precedent would mean a much-reduced voice for educators in determining pay scales, health insurance and other working conditions.”
Ryan,
You are a little confused, laddie. The dangerous precedent has already be set by a lack of union leadership and a growing unrest among union members who are seeing no value for the dues they are paying. Especially when leadership gets more than almost every teacher and has received raises when teachers have not. And an expense account on top of all of that?
And when some money is potentially coming the way of the teachers the union leadership steps into the middle and tries to stop it claiming some legal mumbo-jumbo that translates to “The County wanted to give me a bonus but the union leadership stopped them from doing it!” As I said before, it’s looking like Randy might become the former president of the former union if he doesn’t get this solved.
If you translate what the HCEA is doing into “The County wanted to give me a bonus but the union leadership stopped them from doing it!” then you are clearly ignorant of the details. You are free to think what you want and agree or disagree with HCEA’s position, but I would hope you would make an effort to get informed. Regardless of whether Mr. Cerveny makes $50,000, $100,000 or $1,000,000 a year or whether you think he is an effective leader, that has no bearing at all on why these “bonuses” legally need to be and in my opinion, should be, negotiated. Legally the county executive cannot dictate how HCPS spends their money and HCPS is required to negotiate all employee compensation. On top of that, it is in all HCPS employees’ LONG TERM best interests to negotiate these one-time “bonuses” into PERMANENT salary steps. These negotiations may fail, but that will not prevent HCPS employees from getting the one-time bonus. My suggestion to you is stop thinking in the short-term. If your livelihood depends on a one-time $1250 bonus, as nice as that money may seem, you should probably find another line of work. The reality is, as most teachers know from the last few years, is that if we don’t fight for every last dollar we will get nothing. On top of that, we will still probably get very little, so if you are going to continue to teach, budget intelligently and most likely you will need to get a part-time job. I have done both.
I do understand your frustration, but giving up on the HCEA now is counterproductive to the best interests of both HCPS teachers and HCPS students.
Thomas,
That’s just great. Really great. Negotiate a bonus? What’s that actually mean? Does it mean negotiate the amount? That’s been settled. Does it mean ‘let’s make this one time payment offer in to something recurrring’? Please check the dictionary for the meaning of both one-time and bonus. Does it mean negotiate which employee gets more and which gets less? I suppose that is what is really at the heart of this, isn’t it?
What part of “one-time bonus” don’t you understand? Is it the “one-time” or is it “bonus”?
Just when I thought the HCPS needed a total overhaul in management and public relations along comes HCEA and sets a new record in the category “How Dumb Can We Look to the Public and Our Members?” category.
Too bad for the many fine teachers who work hard and could have used the money. And don’t bring the students in to this. I checked and they are on the side of the teachers.
Alex,
You continue to make yourself look like a moron by talking down to others when you don’t understand the issue yourself.
The county and the BOE lied to HCEA at the bargaining table and said that there was no money for any kind of step increases. (Contracted increases in salary — not COLA increases)
It is interesting that the County Exec. announced “one-time” bonuses a day or so before the Labor Board determined that the BOE had bargained in bad faith and was not forthcoming about how much money was available — Now all of a sudden, there is money for bonuses (not not for step increases?)
The money is there — HCEA is trying to assure that the teacher’s contracts are fulfilled — rather than accepting a “one-time” bonus.
The many fine teachers who could certainly use the “bonus” would be much better off if that money were negotiated into the step increases that they were promised when they signed on to work for HCPS — and haven’t neceived in that past three years.
They would also be better off if people like you supported them instead of reviling the whole public school system at every opportunity because of a few bad experiences.
Alex, the part about “bonus” that you do not understand is that a “bonus” is COMPENSATION, and ALL compensation must be NEGOTIATED according to state law!!! And no, the amount and the frequency have NOT BEEN SETTLED!!! That is what negotiations are for. Yes, the County Executive said that his bonus is a 1 time payment in the amount of $1250. However, the County Executive does not negotiatie with either HCPS or HCEA. He can’t even provide the funding, the County Council does that. Once the money is provided to HCPS, is it up to HCPS and HCEA to NEGOTIATE how to spend it. So clearly, you are not understanding this issue.
Now, who knows where those negotiations are going to lead. However, now that there is 11 million of excess funds in HCPS accounts, it seems that the HCEA is in a better position to try to roll the “bonus” money into permanent salary step increase. That sounds a hell of a lot better than a one time stipend of $1250. Maybe that will happen, maybe it won’t. But your view of the HCEA is incredibly misinformed.
And, yes, HCPS students are involved in this. Who in the hell do you think provides them with their educations? And those educations are going to continue to suffer as HCPS teachers will begin (some already have) to cut back on the uncompensated, as well as the compensated, extra services that they provide if they continue to be paid at salaries far below that of teachers in most of the counties in this state.
Mr. Paine,
I have read all of your comments and I do truly understand what you are saying in terms of long-term planning. I know you understand the hardships teachers have due to the lack of raises, and how so many of us are having to get second jobs, ask for assistance, or reconfigure what daily life looks like in order to make ends meet. I hope you also understand that most of us don’t complain about it. We are teachers first and foremost because we love teaching.
I want to explain why so many teachers are angry, hurt, or confused. Yes – ultimately we want the raise. We wanted the raise before we even heard of this bonus. We were under the assumption before this bonus even came about that there was a high chance we would see a raise or a step or a cost of living come about next year. All we had to do was get through this year, and relief was on its way! Then this bonus was announced. All of a sudden, teachers saw a gift that would help them pay for Christmas for their children, or help them put money towards their masters program, or provide a down payment for that car that needs to be replaced. There was relief for so many of us who in hard times were wondering how we would pay for those things. There was also a sign of recognition and appreciation – something so often withheld from teachers.
Teachers I have talked to are devastated. They are confused. They are hurt. You stated that if our livelihood depended on a one time bonus, perhaps we should find a new line of work. Mr. Paine, I hope that you know this one time gift would have helped a lot in terms of morale, in terms of the holidays, in terms of validating what we do. I understand your point of long term planning in terms of raises. I just have a hard time understanding when this became an either/or. We were told before the bonus was announced that you would be fighting for raises and it was highly likely we would receive something next year. Why would that not be the case after the bonus as well?
First of all, by posting on this board that you are hurt and devastated about what the HCEA is doing is COMPLAINING…so don’t say you don’t complain about “the hardships teachers have due to the lack of raises, and how so many of us are having to get second jobs, ask for assistance, or reconfigure what daily life looks like in order to make ends meet.” It’s ok to complain even when you love to teach, otherwise problems never get fixed.
Second of all, the either/or part of this debate is by accepting the bonus, the HCEA negotiating position for future salary step increases is weakened. Why would the county government or HCPS ever provide a permanent salary step increase to their employees that they have to fund year after year when they can simply provide a one-time bonus? The only answer is to be competitive with other counties. But that hasn’t stopped them the last 3 years. That is, in my opinion, why the HCEA is proceeding so carefully. More than likely, the HCEA will only accept these bonuses if HCPS promises to use the 11 million in excess revenue that they said they didn’t have toward a permanent salary step increase next year. Will that happen? I don’t know. But if these two items can be combined, the position of the HCEA will be strengthened in future salary negotiations.
And I’m not sure where you heard that “it was highly likely we would receive something (a step increase) next year.” That is never the case, as the county government and HCPS have already bargained in bad faith. In my opinion as I have already explained, a salary step next year would be even less likely if we accept these bonuses.
I understand these bonuses would be a wonderful holiday gift for so many people. But remember that appearances can be decieving. What appears to be a gift today may turn out to be a political move to reduce county spending in the future.
And another thing, instead of treating us like dogs who are waiting for scraps from the table (which is what these one time bonuses are), why doesn’t the county government and HCPS treat their employees like professionals and go through the proper negotiating process of bargaining for permanent salary step increases?
Confused Teacher,
You are not at all confused. And thank you for what you do. This has indeed been painted as an “either/or” and it does not need to be.
May I suggest that when someone such as yourself with one or more degrees has a very difficult time understanding the message that it is not you. It is the message. And those who have crafted it.
I hope you get the bonus. You deserve it. Perhaps the HCEA will see that the wishes of their members should guide what they do.
Well, Mr. Paine, if I am mis-informed then here is the challenge to the HCEA.
Call a meeting of all members and take a vote as to whether they want the union to find a way to accept the bonus or not. Yes or No. Up or Down. Not a lot of smoke and mirrors about tomorrow and next year and what increases might come in the future, but the bonus that is on the table today. Yes or No.
You see, Mr. Paine, most HCEA members are not behind the HCEA leadership on this. The HCEA has taken a position that essentially says the HCEA knows better what is for the good of the members than the members do. That is arrogant and patronizing. The HCEA has obviously not been able to defend that position to the membership otherwise you wouldn’t have the uproar that you have.
Take the vote. Or is the position of the union that “We are here for the good of the membership and we will decide what is good for you and what isn’t”?
Your idea of having the HCEA members vote whether or not to accept the bonus is valid. I’m not so sure that the majority of members will agree with your position, but it is obviously worth finding out.
However, I don’t think that the decision that the HCEA has to make is as simple as do they accept or reject the bonus. The HCEA’s concern is the precedent accepting this bonus will set in terms of future salary negotiations, which is an incredibly important issue. I personally would prefer to not receive the bonus and have a more sound negotiating position for salary step increases than be told again and again that money is not available for salary step increases, but instead have to take a one time bonus.
What I think is most important is that the HCEA communicate more effectively to its members what is happening and why. Mr. Cerveny has sent emails to all of its members, which I have posted on this board. I think, based on some of these posts, that either those details were not received by the members or members simply did not pay attention to them or understand them. However, Mr. Cerveny definitely needs to do a better job getting the message out to the public.
The bonus is not on the table yet. It can’t be until HCPS has the money to give it! That won’t happen until the county council gives it to them!
True! And even then, it isn’t a sure thing. The county executive has no power to force the board to use the money for bonuses. They could take the money, say thanks, and then use it for textbooks, computers, or lunches at the board level. Point is, even if he gives the money, bonuses aren’t a definite item. And we know how the board feels about teachers….my money would bet on the lunches.
CDEV,
First of all the County can give the money to the school board with the stipulation that it be used for bonuses and nothing else including all of the details that suround that. The school board could also vote to “ask” the County for money to fund bonuses which, if funded, would then have to be paid. If they need me to tell them the numerous ways to make this work then they need to resign and do something that better suits their qualifications.
Thomas Paine,
So, when will the vote be held? If they vote it down then okay by me. Let’s face it, you and I both know that the teachers who got the e-mail are well educated people so let’s not say that they didn’t understand. That would be an insult to them. They simply aren’t in agreement with the HCEA leadership. The HCEA leadership looks like it could care less what the members think.
And let’s not say that this is EITHER the bonus OR a raise. The two are not linked. Anyone who says they are linked is either uneducated or blowing smoke.
No Alex it can not. Read the MD Education funding act. It is specific in this matter.
By the way ALex the school board votes every year to ask the county for money. It is called the budget. Last year the school board included 16 million for step increases and the county said we don’t have it and removed the item. Now they have 32 million extra? Math just seems to not add up!
CDEV,
Well then the school board should have funded the raises from other parts of the budget since, as just about everyone on here has pointed out, once the school board gets the money they can do as they darn well please with it. First I hear the County can’t tell the school board how to spend the money then I hear the County can refuse to fund certain items, one of them being raises.
You guys are so involved in the nitpicky details as you think you understand them you should step back a minute and say to yourselves “Okay, given what we have to work with and the rules we work under, how do we get these bonuses done?” Don’t come up with 38 reasons why it can’t be done because they all sound like excuses based on someone with another agenda not really wanting to get it done. It can be done if someone wants to get it done.
Oh, my friend, the bonuses can definitely be done if someone wants to do it. Definitely. The operative words here are ‘if someone wants to do it.’ They don’t. And yes it is just as simple as that.
The County did not tell HCPS they could not fund salary steps. They just didn’t approve the increase in the budget it would take to fund them. As a result, HCPS did not cut spending in other areas to give us our salary steps.
I think I’ve given you a scenario by which these bonuses can “get done”…make sure that salary steps are included in the renegotiations between HCEA and HCPS. Otherwise, these handouts will seriously undermine any future salary negotiations. If HCPS refuses to provide salary steps for all teachers this year (this current year 2011-2012) with the 11 million in excess revenue, you will see HCEA again file for impasse with the labor board and we will be back to binding arbitration. I bet that the bonuses will not even be up for discussion until that process is complete.
Now you’re right, the HCEA could just say, you know what, screw it, let’s take the bonuses and who cares about future salary negotiations. But then they wouldn’t be doing their jobs. You may not be happy with their past job performance and you may not be happy with that decision, but in the end, that is how they see it. We could take a vote on this issue, but from the teachers I have spoken to, they strongly disagree with your position that we should take the bonuses at all costs.
First, I have no problem insulting teachers. There are plenty of teachers in my building that, just like many people in the general public, are not intelligent on any level. Just because they have a college education, including masters degrees, does not mean they are intelligent. So it would not surprise me if many do not understand the details of the negotiation process and why these bonuses must be negotiated. I do conceed that some probably just disagree, but most likely they are misinformed.
Second, I never said the bonus and salary step increases are linked. I said, in my opinion, THEY SHOULD BE LINKED. Obviously they don’t have to be linked, but if the HCEA can link them together, their negotiating position in the future will be strengthened…instead of weakened if the bonuses are accepted. I have said this probably about 10 times. This is why I keep saying that people like you are misinformed or ignorant. You are not paying attention to the details. Now pay attention!
And, from what I understand from my HCEA rep, before the HCEA accepts these “bonuses”, they will complete their renegotiations with HCPS regarding our salary steps for this school year with the 11 million of excess funds that HCPS said they didn’t have. These renegotiations are supposed to begin this month, so I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for the “bonus”. If those renegotiations go well, I would bet that HCEA accepts the bonuses as planned, provided the County Council and HCPS have approved the transfer of money to teachers’ paychecks. However, negotiations for next year’s contract will begin soon as well, so who knows if these “bonuses” will be put on the backburner until that is over as well.
Thanks, Thomas Paine. I actually have paid attention and I know the details very well. I also know very well how labor negotiations work. My experience includes negotiating multiple times with both the IBT (Teamsters) and also the UAW.
And the bottom line is no bonuses for the Harford County teachers this month. Too bad for them but that is the result of the HCEA leadership’s chosen strategy. Who is advising these guys?
But I didn’t have to be that way.
I’m going to repeat that because you seem to be the one who can’t pay attention. It did not have to be that way.
Excellent HCEA leadership would have both gotten the bonuses delivered and would have the school board leadership back at the bargaining table before Christmas.
They are at the bargining table and it seems the County Council is not on borad with this.
NOT ON BOARD?????? Thanks Randy…your logic is flawed and your job should be gone. These two seperate issues you have lumped together will produce nothing more in negotiations than you would have gotten with the Labor Boards decision anyway. You are a moron. How can you look at yourself and honestly think that by; eating up 40% of Union Dues with your salary, and taking raises each year while we got none, you are serving your teachers. Pathetic. Just like a politician…you think you are smarter than your constituents. It is a sad day for teachers. Good way to increase membership???…fool.
COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVES BONUS FUNDING; FOUR BARGAINING UNITS TO RECEIVE $625 PAYMENT BEFORE HOLIDAYS
Last night, the County Council approved the County Executive’s legislation with amendments to authorize a payment of $625 for all county employees. Additional amendments established and approved by the County Council require the legislation for the remaining $625 payment to be brought forth again in the spring for consideration. Per the Collective Bargaining Agreements, the Board of Education entered into discussions in November 2011 with the five employee bargaining units to potentially amend the contracts to allow for the receipt of the stipend and reached an agreement with four of those units.
On Friday, December 9th, negotiating teams representing the Harford County Educational Services Council (HCESC) and the Board met and reached agreement on an addendum to the 2011-12 contract that will provide the one-time stipend to its members once the funding was approved by the County Council. Three other collective bargaining units previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to allow for the receipt of the stipend, once approved. The employees represented by the four units that reached an agreement with the Board, as well as all *excluded employees, will receive a payment of $625, pro-rated for part-time staff, either by check or bank deposit on Monday, December 19th. The pay stipend is subject to tax withholding, including any additional tax withholding amounts designated by the employee. The pay stipend will not have any benefit deductions (i.e. retirement contributions or health insurance premiums). The stipend will be distributed in the same manner as your regular payroll payment. For staff members with direct deposit to several accounts, your pay stipend will be distributed amongst all accounts based on your direct deposit selections.
The four units receiving the stipend are:
1. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
2. Association of Public School Administrators and Supervisors of Harford County (APSASHC)
3. Association of Harford County Administrative, Technical and Supervisory Professionals (AHCATSP)
4. Harford County Educational Services Council (HCESC)
Harford County Education Association (HCEA) has elected not to respond to the offer regarding the bonus payment. The Board of Education will continue to reach out to HCEA in order to reach an agreement as it is the hope of the Board to distribute this payment to all staff before the holidays. The legislation adopted last night by the County Council allows this offer for payment to be open until March 31, 2012, at which time any additional funds that have not been distributed must be placed back in the county government’s fund balance.
*Excluded employees are those employees who are excluded from a bargaining unit due to the nature of their job function within the school system.
Teresa D. Kranefeld
Manager of Communications
Communications Office
______________________
Harford County Public Schools
A.A. Roberty Building
102 S. Hickory Avenue
Bel Air, MD 21014
Phone: 410-588-5203