From Pete Rost:
Mr. Craig and Mr. Cerveny,
My name is Peter Rost and I am a sixth year teacher in Harford County.
I write to you both to express my concern over the situation with the money for county employees being denied to teachers. It is a sad situation that in our current economic times, one man and his supposed representing body can stand between well deserved, severely needed money and the employees it should go to. Party lines have been drawn by an organization that has forgotten its mission to represent the teachers and their interests. Party lines that have no place in this negotiation process or the acceptance or denial of money.
Mr. Cerveny, your quest to point out that this is another attempt by Republicans to divide employees and circumvent negotiations is the only thing I see creating division. You seem to fail to appropriately recognize the dissension that has been repeatedly expressed to you. You send your Uniserve representative out to throw up a smoke shield and try to impress upon us the evil nature of this offer from the Republican David Craig, who you claim is doing this as a political posturing piece for his own campaign. What you fail to recognize, Mr. Cerveny, is that some of the teachers you represent are also Republicans. We agree with the money management of the county. We also are deeply offended by your remarks and suggestions made through your representative. You claim to stand on principles, but the only principles you seem to care about are your own political ambitions, rather than the people who are calling to you for help. You have turned your back on the people that elected you and for that there is no excuse. The two issues you are trying to connect are unrelated. We have the information in whole and can see that what you suggest about funding the steps and COLA are not feasible across all county employees and I, as a teacher, will not say my pay is more important than another county employee. We all work hard everyday and should see the fruits of that in this bonus. Yet, you are keeping the teachers from that compensation. You are the only hold out. You are losing support and membership each day you deny hard working teachers this money. You also forget that there are many teachers who are not members of the HCEA that you hurt with this choice as well. Perhaps you should consider these actions when you think of why they don’t support you with membership in the first place. Mr. Craig has always been fair in his support of teachers and their negotiating bodies and for you to suggest otherwise at this point is absurd. You should be looking to use this surplus as a bargaining point in the future, not a reason to deny us money that won’t be there at that point. Once this money is gone, it’s gone and there will be no way for us to see the benefits, whether or not you get us a raise next year. You have failed to see that money cannot be given where there is none and making sure you have money before promising it to people is just good economic practice.
Mr. Craig, I want you to know that we support your efforts to give money back once you realized you had it after the last fiscal year. I also want you to know that I trust that you will fund our budgets in full when you are able and will fund us further next year based on the surplus of our previous year. I trust that you will support the teachers as you always have. I say I trust because that is what I am extending to you. I have been shown by the HCEA who are supposed to have my best interests in mind that I cannot trust them. Mr Craig, show me that I can continue to trust you. You have my full support in your venture for governorship as of this moment and Mr. Cerveny has done nothing but bolster that support with his comments and rhetoric that he is circulating through the school system. I know many staunchly Democratic teachers who are now in full support of your leadership and your campaign. It is my hope that you will allow us all to trust and support you with your financial decisions and leadership choices regarding teachers in the future. Again, I suggest that what you have chosen to do with funding this extra pay is not partisan in the least and that party lines have nothing to do with whether or not we should get this money. We appreciate the attempt that you have made to recognize our hard work and I am sorry that at this point we cannot accept it, as the HCEA apparently has its own agenda and no longer listens to its members and we cannot accept it without their support.
It is my hope that a resolution to this situation that is beneficial to the teachers can be achieved, but with the attitudes which have already been expressed from the HCEA, I strongly doubt it at this point. How sad, that at a time when we all could really use the money for extra holiday items for family, friends, and students, we are denied it by one man’s quest to ignore his presidential post and make a political statement.
Sincerely,
Pete Rost
Mr. Rost, are you a member of HCEA or are you a member of Mr. Craig’s campaign staff? If the County Executive does not measure up to your level of trust and does not support a reasonable raise for teachers in next years budget will your faith be so shattered that you will seek employment in another county or state? If so many HCEA members are allegedly dissatisfied with Mr. Cerveny why don’t they De-certify the union and negotiate with the BOE and county government as individual teachers? See what happens to teachers then. I guarantee you it will not be pretty. As for those that are not members of HCEA and are not satisfied with HCEA leadership then they should join HCEA and exercise some real influence over the actions of the union. After all it is the dues of HCEA members that have supported contract negotiations, teacher grievances, and got raises for HCPS teachers when times were good. We didn’t hear complaining from non members then. Too many are willing to let others do the heavy lifting for them. It’s just like in politics, if you didn’t get involved or didn’t vote you do not have any legitimate reason the complain.
Do you even know how much Mr. Randy has spent on negotiations for us??? Bahhahhh, we have contributed more than $600,000 in dues in 3 years and the “union” has spent a little over $10,000…Bahhaaahh. Now that is annoying.
I agree 100% with Mr. Rost. 100%. Randy Cerveny and the HCEA should be ashamed. They are suppose to be supporting teachers. This is not supporting them. Teachers, like the rest of the world, need money now…not “maybe” money later.
Mr. Cerveny and HCEA are supporting teachers long term interests. That some cannot or will not recognize this says more about them then it does about the union and their leadership who are actually exercising some vision in this matter. Keep accepting crumbs like this now and this will be all that you can expect in the future.
Peter,
First, at the time of your post, the County Council has not even approved Mr. Craig’s request for funding the bonus. They will be voting on it I beleive in about an hour. So…the HCEA cannot actually reject the bonus before it is even on the table. Will they once it is? Maybe. Maybe not. But you are getting a little ahead of yourself.
Second, you do not speak for all teachers and I’m not sure how many you actually speak for. There are many reasons for the HCEA to be extremely skeptical of these “bonuses”. I have stated them at length on many pages on the dagger so I will not say them again.
Third, I’m not sure why you put any trust in any of the county administrators when for the last three years they bargained in bad faith relentlessly. I am a republican and even I can see that.
Lastly, these bonuses are scraps from the table and county employees should not be treated like the dogs the county executive and HCPS thinks we are. We should be treated like professionals. Mr. Craig should not be trying to circumvent the negotiation process that is legally required to provide county employees with ANY and ALL compensation. These bonuses are a pittance compared to PERMANENT SALARY STEPS. And yes, the money is there to fund permanent salary steps. All county employees should stand together and demand that these bonuses be rejected and expect the county to provide us with the real compensation that we deserve. We should do this instead of being dividied and fighting each other, which in my opinion, was the original goal of these bonuses in the first place. The county executive knows county employees are struggling and most will take whatever they can get. But he also knows that the labor associations’ bargaining positions will be weakened in the future if they accept them. You cannot separate the politics from this issue when the politicians are the ones who brought it up.
I do not for a second feel as though I speak for all teachers, but I know enough at multiple schools who are upset to want to say my piece. Also, Mr. Cerveny has already stated that he will not take the money even once it is signed over to the Board of Education and that is where I speak from. If you want to believe that the HCEA is acting on the best interests of the employees, can you explain why all the other representative bodies seem to by fine with it and have none of the misgivings the HCEA repeatedly tries to lead people around with? I’m not saying either side is perfect, but there is relief to be had here and denying it is foolhardy and irresponsible.
I repeat my question. Are you a member of HCEA?
“Me too” contracts.
It’s true we should stand strong and demand these bonuses. But, we live in a different world people. People need money, people need help; not “maybe at the end of the year”, not “maybe next year”, but right now when it’s standing before us. We need guaranteed money NOW. Maybe some people can afford to “stand strong”, but some of us can not. I can not.
As for Mr. Rost, he sounds like he is just as upset as the majority of teachers out there. He’s just the one willing to take a stand, to be a voice. It’s a shame there aren’t more people standing up to the HCEA and Randy Cerveny.
This whole situation is very, very sad.
If you really beleive that, “We need guaranteed money NOW. Maybe some people can afford to “stand strong”, but some of us can not. I can not.”, then you probably should teach in another county. $1250 is not going to get you through the next 1,2,3, who knows how many years without permanent salary steps. If this $1250 is going to make or break you, you are in big trouble and I suggest you either get a part time job (I have), find a different career, or teach in another county. Otherwise, stop worrying about the $1250 and get involved. Stand with the HCEA and demand that HCPS fund our salary steps and reject these bonuses unless our salary steps are funded. If not, our negotiating position in the future is going to be horrible and the $1250 you pocketed today will a long gone memory.
You obviously understand the issues here are larger than $1250 and anonymous should take your astute advice.
I never stated that this money was going to “make or break me”. Please do not put words into my mouth. What I did say was that teachers need help now. Perhaps you don’t. Perhaps you are fortunate enough to not have to live day-to-day, week-to-week. Not all of us are. HOWEVER, do NOT suggest to me to find another career or get a part-time job. You don’t know who I am or what my situation is and I don’t feel the need to have to explain myself to you. What I do know and am willing to share is that I am a DEDICATED teacher. One that adores their job. A teacher that will not let money, or lack their of, force me out of my field. I teach because I LOVE what I do, obviously not because of the money I make.
I did not come on here to badger or take issue with the other people that comment on here. This website is a forum for everyone to express their thoughts; my posts never took aim at someone else’s opinion. Everyone is entitled to express the passion they feel on this issue. I am sorry that you felt the need to get personal.
Oh this is personal and the truth hurts sometimes. Reality is a real bitch. You better let that sink in real long and hard. And the reality is if you are expecting salary increases from HCPS and the county government you are most likely going to be extremely disapointed. I am simply pointing that out and that the “bonus” that you say you so desperately need is probably all you are going to get for a long time if you take it. If you don’t take it, I think we’ll have a better chance of getting salary step increases.
Your words were “Some of us can not afford to stand strong. I can not.” It sounds to me that you are in such dire financial shape that you have given up fighting for what teachers deserve. What I am saying is that is not going to change anytime soon…so get a part time job, teach in another county, or realize that as a teacher who says “I adore my job” you should not be “living day-to-day, week-to-week” but instead should be treated as a professional who can buy property, raise a family and send your kids to college without going broke. But because their are so many teachers like you in this county who say “I will not let money, or lack their of, force me out of my field. I teach because I LOVE what I do, obviously not because of the money I make” are the reason why teacher salaries in this county are as low as they are. The politicians know that so why would they pay teachers more money when teachers like you will work for scraps from the table?
Don’t throw your hands up and take this bonus. It will give up ground that the HCEA has fought so hard to get. Of course I can use the money, but it is a pittance from a government that has the money to give us what we actually deserve. Don’t give up.
“Oh this is personal and the truth hurts sometimes. Reality is a real bitch. You better let that sink in real long and hard.”
Do you ordinarily respond to those who disagree with your point of view with emotional, visceral attacks or is this just a personal disagreement being played out in a public forum? I can imagine you standing there with a hand on your hip and a condescending look on your face snapping your fingers while you are saying this.
Money is real easy to get emotional about. I understand the whole “we cannot allow a precedent to be set” argument. I also understand, and am currently living, the “I need money now so the electricity doesn’t get turned off” argument. To ignore or dismiss either side of the argument is just plain ignorant. I want the money now, but I don’t want to give the County Council the ability to not fund negotiated increases and they try to pay off the teachers with another “hey, I found some leftover money in the budget” bonus. It’s painful to admit that the union position is technically the correct position, because I desperately need money *right now*.
However, this argument doesn’t give you the right to point your finger at someone and say “I’m big, you’re small, I’m right, you’re wrong”, which is what the post I am replying to totally feels like.
Actually I have the right to point my finger at anyone and tell them that “I’m big, you’re small, I’m right, you’re wrong”. And that is pretty much what I’m saying. And yes it is condescending.
If you need the money so bad, where have you been the last three years fighting for our salary steps? Get involved. Don’t take these scraps while there is a surplus of 44 million between the county and HCPS.
Thomas you are an ass!!
What an amazing revelation.
Mr. Paine,
Just what do you propose to do when you have “demanded” and nothing happens? How long have you lived in Harford County and why are you teaching here?
You are correct that nothing has happened when we have not gotten what we deserve. That will hopefully change. We will see what the HCEA calls for if renegotiations fail. Hopefully HCEA will call for serious measures taken by teachers, such as no longer providing any extra services, compensated or not, including coaching. We’ll see.
I’ve lived in Harford County all of my life and have taught here for 13 years. We’ll see for how much longer.
Just because the county may or may not have a surplus you say; does not mean you should get it.
Why do you “deserve” it? You keep saying that…
And don’t say because you buy pencils for some kids and you grade papers at night, we all work overtime. We all do not; however, have the summer off..
Hey Brian,
“Just because the county may or may not have a surplus you say; does not mean you should get it.
Why do you “deserve” it? You keep saying that…” – Maybe teachers deserve it because it is in the contract which was negotiated? If I sign a contract, I am legally obligated to abide by it, so is everyone else.
“And don’t say because you buy pencils for some kids and you grade papers at night, we all work overtime.” – Most get paid for the overtime they work, teachers do not. There are also many out in the work force that don’t work overtime for a variety of reasons, including cutbacks, work shortages, contracts, and because the position is one in which the person is exempt from overtime.
“We all do not; however, have the summer off..” – Teachers do have some time off in the summer, no denying that. However, that is part of the contract they signed and part of the profession they are in. Many teachers decide to go into the profession with the knowledge that, yes, they will get a lower pay as compared to others with similar education. However, they also know that they are contracted to get a few weeks off in the summer, good benefits, and yearly raises.
Anyways, have a nice day.
Paul Mc said “Most get paid for the overtime they work, teachers do not.”
I don’t know where you work or what you do, but I’ve worked for several companies, both for-profit and non-profit, and very rarely have salaried professionals received any extra pay for hours beyond the standard 40 per week, which occurs more weeks than not. Occasionally some comp time may be given to make up for an excessive amount in rare circumstances (such as if you work until 3 AM you can stay home the next day), but not extra pay.
Should we all agree that teachers should be considered blue collar workers and be paid hourly with overtime, or would you rather have them called professionals but still claim that they should receive the benefits of hourly workers when it helps them?
Wow, I didn’t realize that people who get paid by the hour weren’t considered professionals.
FOOTBALLGIRL: That was really an insightful observation. I would say they are professional, but some seem to think they are beneath this category.
What is unfortunate is that Mr. Craig did not make an offer to make this bonus money part of a step increase then none of this would be an issue. Also do not forget that this year Mr. Craig asked for 10% return from all county department. 3.1 million (by far the largest amount returned by any Harford County government agency) was returned to the county by the BOE. That puts the amount offered in the bonus in a different light.
I have NEVER seen a public statement by Mr. Cerveny that the HCEA’s position is that “under no circumstances will the HCEA accept the bonuses.” Please let me know where I can find that if I am mistaken.
There is at least 1 other labor group (I can’t remember the name but it represents the nurses, paraeducators, etc.) that has also not accepted the bonuses. I beleive there is another group as well. Regardless, I would argue that the groups that are in favor of the bonuses are making a mistake.
I don’t see $1250 as releif. I see it as a bandaid. Sure it will help some people, but what county employees really need are permanent salary steps that can and should be paid for now. Stop worrying over scraps and step up and fight for what we deserve. That is what Mr. Craig should be focusing on if he really supports county employees, as you say he always has, which I personally think is a bunch of b.s. If you’re not already being paid by Craig, you should be.
I am not a member of the HCEA. Why must us non-members be thrown into this mess? I am not a member and will never be a member after this mess.
Because non HCEA members are some of the most vocal people criticizing HCEA leadership. If you want a voice in the process then join the union. If there were more members that thought like you then maybe Mr. Cerveny would not have been reelected by an overwhelming majority of MEMBERS that apparently think he is doing a good job.
That is exactly why the mess exists. We are being bullied. Get involved. Support your union.
Yes but you are most willing to enjoy any increases,benefits etc that are negotiated by HCEA. That makes you a free As for political stands, The HCEA, MSTA and NNEA will support candidates who will support teachers salaries, improvements and benefits In the recent past that has been the Democratic Party. Regard recent actions in Wisconson, and Ohio. There they would be happy to return yo the non union, non negotiation of the late 1900’s, I can remember the benevolent despotism of Dr. Charles Willis. How many would like to go back to those good old days?.
Free Loader! I don’t see you turning down any of the negotiated improvements made over the years. I hope that you might encounter liability issues the have to hire legal council. Or perhaps have an administrator with a chip on his/her shoulder and who will make your life miserable. I have seen this done many, many times. Then it is just you against the system!
Caspertg,
yeah, or perhaps you are a bad teacher and need the help to keep your job.
If you are a bad teacher and still have your job after the probationary period, then the well trained and well paid administrators and supervisors have not done their jobs and are therefore bad administrators/supervisors. If they have not done their job, then they should not have those positions and should be fired by the Superintendent. Obvously a Superintendent who does not demand that his staff do their jobs should be fired. Without an education system there would be more folks who think like you.
So, you are saying that former teachers who are now administrators are to blame? How convenient for you.
Why can’t the HCEA accept these bonuses AND fight for our steps? Since when did they say “one or the other”? Shouldn’t we want both? We NEED both?
Why would harford county give teachers permanent salary steps that they have to pay each year (which they haven’t the last 3 years) instead of giving “bonuses” which they don’t? That is why the HCEA does not want to accept the bonuses. It sets a pretty bad precedent about how teachers can be compensated in the future. If the HCEA accepts the bonuses that will have an even more difficult fight to get salary steps.
I’ll take a bonus every year if they want to give me one. Either way it’s more money for us. People in the private sector get salaries and bonuses and don’t have negotiations on their side, so clearly it can be done.
Pete: You mean the ones whose jobs have not been sent overseas.
If the Board decides not to give Harford County teachers a step increase because they gave them this bonus, well, then they had no intention of giving the teachers a step increase in the first place. Three years of nothing makes me question the effectiveness of HCEA. Please don’t use this “bonus” as a smokescreen to take the heat over three years of negotiated nothing!
And before anyone decides I have no right to speak as a non-member, I am retired and I joined the association every year of my 30 years in Harford County. Not once when I went to them for clarification or assistance did HCEA provide what was needed….but that’s a whole other story.
You have no evidence to make such a claim about what the board’s intentions are. However, logic would say that if you or I were members of the school board and teachers take this bonus money we would be stupid to ever give salary steps again…we could just give bonuses “when the money is available”.
HCEA negotiated pay raises, the CE never provided the money.
The representative from the HCEA that he sent to our building stated that this was Randy Cerveny’s position. If you have seen a public statement saying otherwise, please let me know. In addition, his statement on the HCEA website regarding the issue states that he does not intend to sign it because of his beliefs about the topic.
The support staff association has publicly stated that they will sign as soon as the Board of Education has the money. This was also presented by Cerveny’s representative. They are the only other group that had not yet at the time of this meeting a few weeks ago.
Until three years ago, Mr. Craig was handing us money hand over fist fro the raises we requested. Once the economy tanked, he had to cut back because the county stopped receiving as much money from the state. That’s not bargaining in bad faith, that is good economics in a very real bad economy. So to say he doesn’t support county employees is really the b.s. (as you say) since until the economy tanked, he was respecting, honoring, and fully funding all raise requests, which is a matter of public economic record. Four and five years ago, we lived in a county where a 7% and 6% raise was reasonable. That scenario just doesn’t exist anymore and some people can’t understand that you can’t spend what you don’t have. At this point a band-aid is better than no dressing at all. People are hurting and denying the money won’t help that, it just makes us look like fools. The renegotiation doesn’t hinge on whether or not we take this money. We need to take the offer now and go back to the table saying, OK we know you have this budgeted this way now, so let’s negotiate based on these numbers. Use it to our advantage, don’t treat it as some sort of attack that we need to be wary of. There are ways to have our cake and eat it too here and the HCEA is completely ignoring this angle. There must be a reason the other associations are fine with this, no matter whether you think they are right or wrong. Clearly they have a plan to deal with this and take the bonus, we should too.
The burden is on you to produce a record of a public statement made by the HCEA about what you said was HCEA’s position. I’m sorry, but I won’t take your word about what you heard from a representative.
Here is what is on the HCEA’s website:
“HCEA is happy that additional funding is available, as announced by the County Executive, for our teachers and wants to make sure that the funds are distributed through the collective bargaining process. If we allow the County Executive to circumvent the bargaining law and issue “bonuses” we are diminishing the win before the Labor Board and eroding our rights under the law as well as our ability to fund the negotiated agreement. 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 and health benefits. By agreeing to the conditions set forth by the County Executive, HCEA would be going outside of the very bargaining laws that we’ve fought so very hard to enforce AND, in fact, we now clearly have a Labor Board that supports our efforts to enforce those laws.
We must support the collective bargaining process, which provides us with compensation and benefits in a way that is fair, dependable, and has the input of employees. 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. HCEA is committed to fighting for an equitable and legal distribution of these funds. Additionally, HCEA is committed to fighting for the original agreement made between the union and the Board of Education in January, which thus far has been a string of broken promises by the Board of Education due to the county’s underfunding.”
Nowhere does this statement say that the HCEA will not accept the bonus money. It simply says that the HCEA’s position is that the money for compensation needs go through the normal negotiating process and not be dictated by the county executive, which is actually illegal.
And this county has given teachers money hand over fist? Really? We received two 7% back to back COLA adjustments after 4 years of 0% COLA. We did get salary steps. That’s hand over fist? I’m pretty sure at that time the economy was at it’s highest…in about forever. Harford County teachers have on average been in the bottom third of the counties in MD for as long as I’ve been teaching…13 years. I understand why salary steps were not given for 2 of the last 3 years, but not this year (meanwhile all neighboring counties seemed to find money to provide salary increases). The money has been there, and the county administrators and HCPS knew it was.
I think you are foolish to beleive that taking these bonuses will not affect our future bargaining position. We should always be wary of what the county government and HCPS are doing. That is why we have negotiations!!! You don’t walk into a negotiation saying, “well that sounds good, I’ll take it”. You walk in saying “I want all of this and more”.
Mr. Paine,
Thanks, now I know why so many jobs go overseas.
What, because the HCEA is asking for so much? No, it’s because in other countries employees are not paid what they deserve. The taxpayers in Harford County have been given superlative services at a significantly lower cost than neighboring counties, with those low costs due to low wages on the part of county employees. Either those low wages are going to change or the quality of service is going to change. Which one do you want?
there is only one answer that meets your intellectual level-B.S.
MONSTER: You know that jobs go overseas because your GOP/Tea Party allows businesses to put profit before Americans.
Proud to be a liberal,
I don’t know where to begin with your comment. I guess you didn’t know that businessmen, Tea Party and Republicans were Americans. You are so busy spreading your socialistic agenda, you must be dizzy. When people, whether it be business or labor get so greedy, that is when problems begin. Labor unions are just as bad as the small percentage of businesses that are greedy. By the way, in whom is your retirement money invested? AFL, Teamsters,etc. Also, why don’t you explain to everyone how socialism has gotten Europe in so much trouble.
MONSTER: It is not the social safety net in Europe that has caused the trouble they are in, but rather wholesale tax evasion by the very people who reap the benefits. If a government does not have the revenue to support its spending, trouble ensues. This is analogous to the richest 1% not paying their fair share and driving us to insolvency. But you are correct when you state that when people “…get so greedy, that is when problems begin.” Unfortunately, you Tea Party types, while Americans, are protecting the greedy billionaires and paying the price for it. Now that is what I call shooting yourself in the foot.
If Mr. Cerveny is so sure that he has the support of teachers, prove it. Call an emergency vote by all members and show that the teachers still think he’s doing the right thing. Just because he was re-elected with an overwhelming majority in a race with no real competition does not mean that everyone still thinks he’s doing a great job. Let the teachers speak. If the teacher vote honestly shows they don’t want the money, then fine, majority rules, but I want to see it. Don’t tell me people support it, show me the numbers on a vote.
Why won’t you answer the question? HCEA member, yes or no.
I have followed your comments here tonight, and all I can say is that Pete is as honest as they come. He taught my son and I can say that he is one of the better teachers in the area. I ask you, Annoyed, why do you keep badgering him? You can’t even post your name. Hiding behind the Annoyed label is quite lame. You ask if Pete works on Mr. Craig’s campaign. Who are you? Or better yet, who are you working for?
My comments have nothing to do with Mr. Rost’s teaching abilities. I criticize what I believe is a short sighted view concerning this issue. I do not use my real name because just as many others that post here we are concerned about retaliation. I note your own moniker – HCPS parent. That Mr. Rost chose to use his real name is his choice. I would also suggest that maybe your view of Mr. Rost is biased based on your personal experiences and as such you are willing to take his word on matters that you may not fully understand or appreciate.
Yes I am an HCEA memeber and I have expressed myself through the appropriate channels, but they don’t want to hear it. They just walk away. Literally.
EXACTLY!!!!
I have no problem with a vote on this issue. Although I don’t think the issue is as simple as, “do we take the bonus or not?”. I think the vote should be, “do you think there are any legitimate reasons to NOT accept the bonus that the county is offering?”. I think there are plenty of legitimate reasons and I am of the opinion based on conversations with teachers from several schools that I am in the majority. But a vote could settle it.
Who else would be willing to run against Randy? No one wanted to last year.
I ran last year. Randy can’t run again. Someone will need to rise. We need more participation. If you are a teacher, get involved.
This is not as simple as a membership vote. Get involved. By the way, I ran against Randy and lost but i would not say that I was not real competition. I split or won virtually every school which I was able to speak at. I just could not get to them all.
The county council just slashed the funding for the bonuses from 11 million to 5 million for county employees to cover bonuses for only December. It will now be a “payment” and not a “bonus”…silly. Mr. Craig will now have to do this all over again in the Spring. Now we’ll see what the HCEA does. I wouldn’t hold your breath.
OK so all county employees (and most HCPS employees) will now receive $625 in December. The CC has decided they will have the final say on whether the other $625 is dispersed after they have a closer look at the budget figures.
There should be more Mr. Rost’s in the world; those that aren’t afraid to speak up against the politically driven machines. For what it’s worth, I applaud you sir and hope the situation you speak of so passionately is remedied to your satisfaction.
Are you saying that it is the HCEA that is politically driven and not the County Executive? Seriously? The HCEA has so little power it is absurd to consider that it is acting politically. It is acting in the what it believes (you may disagree) is in the best interests of the teachers it represents. Also, please remember who began this UNPRECEDENTED “bonus” compensation idea. It was not the HCEA. And “bonuses” by mandate from the county executive are not how compensation has ever been provided to county employees. ALL compensation MUST BE NEGOTIATED between the labor groups and the county agencies that employee them, not the county executive or even the county council.
Instead of being blinded by rage, please reread my firt sentence; machines, not machine. They come in all sizes, shapes, persuasions, and ideologies.
A very energetic and reasonable candidate ran against Randy last year…..who was busy teaching instead of campaigning and manipulating votes.
Dear Mr. Rost,
I only wish it were as simple as taking the money. It is in fact much more complicated. HCEA currently is in litigation over “bad faith” bargaining. If we take the money it will erode that claim. We are the only teachers union in MD ever to have a bad faith claim recognized. If we take the money, it will erode collective bargaining. There is a process for education fund allocation in MD. The “bonus” undermines this law and could set a precedent. If we take the money, it will erode maintenance of effort. Mr. Craig leads the County Executives organization which opposes this. In essence taking this money could allow for less funding in the future for schools. We simply can not take the money. All the other unions have “Me too” contracts. This means they get what we get no matter what. We must fight.
I completely understand your pain. It has been tough over the past few years. The bottom line though is that the county had the money to fund steps, has the money to fund steps and just does not see us as a priority. I am sorry that you see this as a partisan issue. It is not. Mr. Craig’s party affiliation has nothing to do with HCEA’s opposition to Mr. Craig’s power grab bonus offer. It is union busting pure and simple. As to money being given hand over fist, that has never happened in Harford County. Teachers got a substantial raise a few years ago because we we next to last in salaries across the state. Guess who is last right now, if you evaluate are salaries on what is really being paid rather than the fictitious salary scale which is posted…Yep it’s Harford County. Mr. Craig has very careful engineered a situation where HCEA and teachers are being demonized for demanding that he the county council and the BoE follow the law. Please get involved. All of our problems are the result of apathy.
Sincerely,
Ryan
LOL… Mr. Craig is the evil engineer behind the curtain? Seriously, Wake up Dorthy, your not in Kansas anymore. Man, you give him alot of credit. How about this… We are fools for giving our dues to a weak ass “union” that takes most for just the leaders salary and does little to help teachers with the rest = facts.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but wasn’t it two years ago that Mr. Craig and the County Council put money into the budget specifically requesting that it be used for teacher salaries, yet the Superintendent took the money and used it for other purposes? If this is true, and I believe that it is, then why is Mr. Craig the enemy?
As I understand the process…
1) The union negotiates with BOE.
2) BOE goes to beg for money from CC.
3) CC gives money to BOE but is not allowed to tell BOE how to spend the money.
4) BOE chooses to do whatever they wish with the money with no repercussions.
Also, as I understand it, the union’s claim of bad faith negotiations was not with the County Council, but with the Board of Education. If this is false, please clarify. If I am correct, then you owe several people an apology.
Concerned Teacher,
Good comment. Yes, it was and still is the Superintendent with whom educators should be angry. David Craig was a teacher and understands very clearly the situation. He cannot control education, if he could, you would have raises. But, as long as the Supt. has other spending plans, staff will see this repeated time and time again. It angers me when people come on this site to campaign for a political party and use the wrong people as scape goats.
HCEA was just mad they wouldn’t get a cut of the bonus money and couldn’t claim they had anything to do with extra cash in teachers’ pockets so they have to manufacture an issue to stay relevant.
Why not let the members vote either for or against accepting the bonus? Shouldn’t that be something that ALL HCEA members have a say on? I find it a little unsettling to let Randy, who according to The Dagger, makes a six figure salary make this decision without the say of the membership of the Union. And yes, I do belong, although I am seriously considering dropping my membership, even though I will need to pay more for my movie tickets and BJ Membership.
As for choices for HCEA President last year…I recall the vote not even being close. My vote was based on the lesser of two evils… I am really not looking forward to being a part of a Union possibly lead by Mr. Burbey, because I do not feel he represents my views as a teacher either. Any way Brian Rheinhardt will run for HCEA President He is sensible and well spoken! Just a thought.
The intentions of the HCEA as well as the MSTA (now the MSEA) are clear. They are both arms of the Democratic Party. They endorsed O’Malley for governor even BEFORE a republican candidate was announced. The stae union has already endorsed Obama for president, even though the Reupblican candidate has not yet been chosen.
If that is not telling enough, then you are blind to the facts.
So by extension the Koch brothers, NRA and Fox are extensions of the GOP since they have already endorsed anyone except Obama? It is their right to endorse an incumbent who is friendly to them when they know the alternative will not be! If the GOP feels teachers have no right to collective bargining why should the NEA, MSEA or HCEA endorse their candidates for office?
You sir seem to be a blind partisan if you can not accept that both parties have their tools and you are acting like one now!
My point was merely – if you do not know who the opposition is, you have no right to speak for the members without their consent. The Koch brothers, NRA and Fox do not represent teachers of Harford County. The other organizations have the right to speak for themselves. The teacher’s Union collects money from its members, and purports to be an elected, representative body. They say they are listening to the members. They do not.
If you did not realize as the rest of the world that Ehrlich was running then you where ignorant! Ehrlich started running again within days after he left office!
As a teacher, I entered this profession with the full knowledge that it could never be about the money. EVERYONE has had to adjust their lifestyle according to the economy… and if you haven’t, maybe it’s time to reassess your priorities. You can’t go into teaching with champagne taste, when you have a beer budget. Of course a step would be nice. Of course a bonus would be nice. But my husband is out of work right now, and we can live quite comfortably on my salary alone (and I am on the low end of the totem pole)because we have made certain choices about how and where to spend/save our money. Just food for thought.
I am in the union, but I want out.
Does anyone know how to do this?
In order to get out of the Union you must write a written request at the beginning of the year explaining that you want out. They take $500 a year from our checks but will not help us out. I know many frustrated and upset teachers that are in need of the bonus…
This is my third post on here.
What this comes down to, what we can all agree on, is that teachers need more money and more respect. Obviously. I think this can be said and can be agreed upon without throwing daggers at fellow posters. I have taken into serious consideration what all sides have to say. Most points are valid. It’s a shame that the lack of steps, the feeling of not being valued, and then the feeling of being misrepresented (maybe not all of us feel that way, but some do) has divided a group of hardworking Americans.
One last thing: please don’t judge until you walk a day in someone else’s shoes. You have no idea what another is going through. We need to support each other in hard times, not call one another out.
Mr. Rost,
Would you consider running for HCEA president? The ineptitude of the current HCEA leadership has me wanting to leave the union, and nearly all of my close friends who are also in the union are of the same mindset. I know that you would have much support. In fact, I’m sure you would grow HCEA membership as teachers who have left the union over the years will re-join.
One thing throughout this whole debate has been clear to me: The union is more interested in the wellbeing of the union than in the wellbeing of teachers. They nearly lost us this bonus (and they may yet).
Please consider running Mr. Rost.
Ditto
The problem is not only Randy, but the entire HCEA Board. I’ve talked to a couple of them on this issue and they either do not have a grasp of the facts (like the one who stated that HCPS had a $32 million surplus) or do not represent my views (like the one who opposed the bonus because all employees would get the same… he felt that a 20 year teacher like him should get way more of a bonus than 5th year teachers and support staff).
I fear that they have burnt bridges with our elected officials by seeming ungrateful for this bonus, especially at a time when so many of our friends and neighbors are being laid off. I am proud to be a teacher, and I am happy to have a steady job. I very much appreciate the bonus and when the economy turns around, I have no doubt that we’ll get our raises and steps (unless the damage HCEA has caused in this little episode has prevented that.)
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
It is a sad day for teachers when teachers like you are so shortsighted that you are letting $1250 divide the only organization teachers have that fights for our interests. You can disagree with the HCEA’s position on this, but don’t suggest that the HCEA under Mr. Cerveny’s leadership is not looking out for its members.
A $1250 bonus today will add up to $1250 total at the end of your career. How much will a step increase add up to at the end of your career? Taking this bonus is going to set a horrible precendent that will make it more difficult for us to get permanent salary steps in the future. These bonuses must be negotiatied according to MD law, and hopefully those negotiation lead to them being a part of permanent salary steps. Stop acting like a dog waiting for scraps from the table, unless you are, and in that case you get what you deserve. That’s the problem with teachers like you…you don’t think you deserve salary steps. You just take what you can get…which clearly doesn’t take much to make you happy. No wonder Harford County teachers are paid so poorly.
READ MY LIPS = TWO SEPERATE ISSUES. When will you admit that they could have, and should have been handled indepedently. They are not tied together. Damn your stupid.
Short-sighted? Come on man, you must think everyone is stupid and you are so brilliant. We understand the issues and consequences, some of us do have degrees you know. You preaching that rhetoric on here is annoying as hell. Everyone is sick of you towing the “union line”…just look at the thumbs up and down. You think we are ignorant? “Oh, the teachers are too stupid to what what is good for them, we must do it this way.” Dude, I don’t need the money like most don’t. I got a precedent headline for ya… UNION PRESIDENT GETS RAISE 3 YEARS IN A ROW, WHILE TEACHERS GET NOTHING.
Stop misrepresenting the issue by making people think that their options are the $1250 bonus or a permanent raise/step. The options right now are to accept the bonus or to not accept the bonus from Harford County Government. The union does not negotiate salaries with Harford County Government. Harford County Government is not the Board of Ed.
The County Executive included us as a gesture of goodwill extended to his fellow educators. No doubt he might regret that now. Nor did he have to include the Sheriff’s Office but he did, and the Deputies Union approved the bonus at the blink of an eye, and thanked Mr. Craig for it. Unlike HCEA, which seems determined to burn every bridge with anyone whose support they need.
As things currently are, the only thing that stands between teachers and their bonus is HCEA and Randy Cerveny. Merry Christmas Randy. Thanks a lot.
To all of you…I do think most people are stupid which probably includes you and all of you are short sighted and you will get little if you ask for little. I have never once said that the choice is the bonus OR the salary step. I said that if we take the bonus it will be less likely we will get a salary step. Pay attention! I guess we’ll see if I’m right.
And towing the union line…where have you people been the last years fighting for our raises and now you’re complaining about not getting $1250? You are a bunch of little girls…and if that offends you little girls…it only hurts if it’s true.
And your silly little thumbs up/thumbs down look pretty even…you can’t even compare numbers.
You are an arrogant sob.
That’s the problem with being right all of the time…people think you’re arrogant.
So many comments are being made here by union and nonunion members about wanting to take the bonus, but how many of you rallied at the BoE meetings or most recently at the Superintendent’s budget hearing to support the funding of step increases?
Wow, seriously….”a bunch of little girls”…so not only are you conceited to the point where you believe you are omniscient, but you are revealing that you are a sexist also… Why do we have to be a “bunch of little girls” begging, I guess little boys never beg??? Hmmmm…somebody needs counseling.
Thanks, Terry,
It is nice to have facts instead of rantings.
When have done that?
Best way to get a $500 raise…drop the union and save your dues.
Yes, that makes perfect sense. Give up on the one organization that is the voice for teachers. Yes…let’s get rid of that. I hope that works out for you. Oh yeah, I forgot, you think they are useless anyways. Those COLAs, health benefits, and renegotations happened because the school board just really likes its teachers. Come on! Stop crying over $1250. Get serious. These bonuses are a distracation from the renegotiations. Keep your eye on the ball and get involved.
HCEA is not the end all solution to everything…
Check out the Christian Educators Associatoin. Cheaper than HCEA, liability insurance, legal representation, all of what you need but for $139 a year.
http://www.ceai.org/membership/benefits/197.html
Please let me know when the “Christian Educators Association” steps up to help us get a contract. Who is our representative for that one??
Of course it is easy for everyone to attack HCEA when HCPS acts in “bad faith” and things aren’t going the teachers’ way. All of this is Randy Cerveny’s fault???
I never hear the non-HCEA members declining the steps, health benefits, COLAs, reduction in after-school duties, etc. that the HCEA has fought for and won in the past.
Instead of jumping ship and joining another organization, it is time to step up and fight with the organization we’ve got to fix the problems in this county.
Well said, Mr. Hitchens. RIP. You will be missed.
We need to stand together.
The Christian Educators Association? Really? Where do I sign up for that one?
As a non union member I will gladly return the steps and COLA that I have received over the last few years. Wait……
That’s exactly what my wife did.
Suppose that, to avoid this dispute, the County Executive issued a statement that to avoid breaking any negotiated agreements, all non-union county employees would be receiving a bonus. Would that have been acceptable to the HCEA?
That would not be possible as HCEA is the legally recognized bargaining unit for all Harford County teachers.
Thomas Paine must be on Randy Cerveney’s staff!!
Nope, although I certainly agree with the HCEA on this issue…so far. We’ll see whether or not I agree with their leadership and recommendations to teachers if renegotiations fail with HCPS regarding our salary steps.
Does anybody on here not think that Thomas Paine is Randy Cerveny?
Yes
I’m getting the bonus because AFSCME is my bargaining unit. I feel really bad for the educators being denied this because their union has chosen to politicize this. The HCEA’s priorities are identical to every other unions, and that is the health and wealth of the union first. They’ve come up with a half-assed reason and scream it from the rooftops, in their attempt to invoke the old addage, ” A lie told often enough, or loud enough, becomes the truth”. It’s all they have, so you’ll hear it ad nauseum. It’s also doubly offensive that they expect your intelligence to be so slight, you’ll buy into it and parrot the lie, along with them.
You have every right to be upset. Don’t let these people confuse two very separate issues. This “bonus” or “stipend” has zero to do with the unions ability to negotiate step increases or raises in the future. It’s all about them not getting their cut or credit, and that’s just sad.
…and you know this because of your vast legal experience…
Teachers…how would you like to never getting a pay raise again, and instead rely on the county authorities to decide whether or not they have the funds to give you an annual “bonus”?
This is essentially what is being decided. If HCEA allows the county to disperse funds to teachers without going through the process, it sets a precedent that the county does not have to negotiate pay increases or benefits; they can simply withhold funds to be dispersed at a later date as county authorities see fit.
That Mr. Craig may be being completely benevolent in offering teachers this bonus is irrelevant. Once it is established that the county doesn’t have to fund teacher pay raises and that they usurp the negotiation process by possibly offering a bonus at a later date as they see fit, you can pretty much kiss your pay raise, step increases, and longevity increases goodbye.
Don’t get me wrong; I can certainly use a thousand bucks or so right about now. But let’s not be penny smart and dollar dumb about this.
I am not a Harford County educator. I have a completely different stake in the school system: my children, all of whom proudly attend Harford County Public Schools.
Reading the comments on this thread has sickened me, and I truly hope that ‘Thomas Paine’ is also not an educator. I hope that my son and daughter NEVER have to sit in a classroom and try to learn from someone who resorts to insults and hate when someone disagrees with them. He/she should be ashamed. Working with children does not mean one must act like a child.
I hope that the teachers DO get their share of these bonuses. They deserve them, as they do their step increases.
You would be incredibly lucky to have me teach your child, unless they are stupid like most who have posted on this page, in which case I will continually berate them and make them cry on a regular basis…again just like many of you have been doing…crying. Obviously that’s sarcasom about the berating. In reality, I treat my students with complete respect and they learn more from me than just about any teacher in the state, probably the country. I am actually about as good as it gets. Ask principals, supervisors, superintendents, etc. Although wait a minute, you can’t, because you don’t know who I am.
Outside of the classroom however, I am a totally different story. I am a condescending, arrogant, ass. But fortunately I have a venue for my extracurricular talents…the excellent piece of trustworthy journalism…THE DAGGER! Now all of you can go F yourselves.
Thomas,
Based on your attitude on this site I know 2 things. First, that attitude dosn’t turn on outside the classroom and magically turn off inside the classroom. Second, there is no way in the world my children would ever be in your classroom. I was very diligent about the education they received and you would never have been close to them Were they good students? Yes. Both have advanced degrees that schools who recruited them higly paid for. And they aren’t teachers thank goodness. They wouldn’t be caught dead working in an environment that lets someone with your attitude run free. In the real world your attitude and vocabulary would not be tolerated for 30 minutes. In your case the HCPS is probably the only place where they have to tolerate you.
You know who isn’t getting this bonus? The people who are substitutes. This is a group of people that also work hard for the school system some even have master degrees and help out after school and are WAY underpaid. They may not work as hard as some teachers but most work EVERY school day which not all teachers do. And no not all just “babysit” the classes some actually have added interesting things to lessons taught. Someone needs to remember them also. I don’t think they should get a full bonus but even 1/2 of what county employees get would be nice. Subs have not had a raise in this county as long as the teachers but other counties have given small raises to their subs. Teachers in this county are definitely underpaid but do not blame that on the county exec or council put the blame where it belongs with the SCHOOL BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT!!!!
HappieGrannie: You are correct. Subs are the “illegal” workers of education. They are exploited and taken for granted. I stopped going as a sub because of HCPS’s callous misuse of these valuable people.
Hey Phil,
“I don’t know where you work or what you do, but I’ve worked for several companies, both for-profit and non-profit, and very rarely have salaried professionals received any extra pay for hours beyond the standard 40 per week, which occurs more weeks than not. Occasionally some comp time may be given to make up for an excessive amount in rare circumstances (such as if you work until 3 AM you can stay home the next day), but not extra pay.” – I don’t know where you have worked either, however, in the number of places that I have worked, I have either been paid for the over time, been comped for it, or received a salary in which the over time hours were expected. Also, the places I have worked have not gone back on their contracts and failed to give pay raises which were stipulated.
“Should we all agree that teachers should be considered blue collar workers and be paid hourly with overtime, or would you rather have them called professionals but still claim that they should receive the benefits of hourly workers when it helps them?” – No, they are professionals. And they shouldn’t get overtime, however, again, their contracts should be honored. If the county did not wish to honor a contract, they shouldn’t have signed it.
Anyways, have a nice day.
Come on everyone say it with me:
GET RID OF TOMBACK
GET RID OF TOMBACK
GET RID OF TOMBACK
AWWW Music to my ears!!!!