Post by southsidesignmaker on Jun 16, 2011 10:04:05 GMT -6
Chicago Public Schools board rescinds teacher raises, angers union
www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/ct-met-cps-board-raises-0616-20110615,0,3684868.story
David Vitale, chairman of the Chicago Board of Education, listens to testimony during Wednesday's meeting. The board later voted to rescind scheduled 4 percent pay raises for teachers. (Nancy Stone, Chicago Tribune / June 15, 2011)
By Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah and Tara Malone, Tribune reporters
8:00 p.m. CDT, June 15, 2011
Mayor Rahm Emanuel's handpicked Chicago Public Schools board drew a battle line between the new administration and the teachers union with its first official act when it voted Wednesday to rescind the 4 percent annual raise due to teachers and other school union members.
The board's unanimous vote, allowed under a provision of the contract that is set to expire in 2012, saves an estimated $100 million as the city's public schools confront a deficit now pegged at $712 million for the coming year.
But Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said the union would seek to negotiate the decision to stop the raises from going into effect. If that fails, union leaders could reopen the entire contract — a move that could allow the district to fast-track plans for a longer school day and year for city schoolchildren.
"We are very shocked that the board would take an action that could possibly lead to a strike," Lewis said. "This is going to be a very, very challenging summer."
Emanuel wasted no time in lauding the action, saying in a statement that he appreciated the board's "vigilance in minimizing cuts to our children's classrooms and their commitment to ensuring the public schools are accountable to Chicago's taxpayers."
But union officials and many rank-and-file teachers contend the vote signaled a lack of respect for their work, even though three-quarters of them will still receive some sort of pay increase next year.
It was the opening salvo in what could shape up to be an acrimonious battle between Emanuel's administration and organized labor.
Faced with major money problems at City Hall, CPS, the Chicago Transit Authority and elsewhere, Emanuel is expected to squeeze unions across city government in an effort to cut costs. Employee salary and benefits represent the bulk of the budget at city agencies.
During the mayoral campaign, Emanuel told city residents to brace themselves for shared sacrifice. He got elected with scant union support, making organized labor an easier political target.
Lewis said CTU and other school union officials spent Wednesday afternoon hammering out a plan to mobilize the teachers, cafeteria workers, engineers and other workers who report to schools every day. Beyond the Chicago Teachers Union, the board's decision affects members of the Service Employees International Union, International Union of Operating Engineers and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
CPS confronted a similar situation in 1991 when the district superintendent opened contract negotiations. Last-minute, late-night talks resulted in a 3 percent raise for teachers, rather than the 7 percent hike promised in the contract.
Wednesday's vote came during the first meeting of the new slate of Chicago Board of Education members, schools chief Jean-Claude Brizard and his education team. The new leaders spent little time on formalities, instead delving into the financial quagmire facing the city school system.
District leaders said removing the raises does not forestall the possibility of layoffs.
"There can be no guarantees," said Board President David Vitale. "There's still $600 million to find."
Brizard indicated the budgetary belt-tightening will not increase class sizes, saying "we know the relationship between a student and teacher is at the heart of a student's academic experience."
He also flagged as priorities early childhood education, preparing students to succeed beyond graduation and anti-violence initiatives intended to keep students safe.
Later, Vitale said the district plans to implement "in some form" an extended day program in the coming school year, an idea embraced by Emanuel. A new state law signed this week allows Chicago school officials to lengthen the school day and year, but the union may bargain for more pay or benefits if additional minutes are added.
Before voting on rescinding the raises, the newly seated board members questioned exactly what taking them away could mean for rank-and-file teachers. The current contract rewards educators based primarily on their years of experience in the classroom and their education level, typically called step and lane changes.
"I want to know if the 4 percent increase is not approved, would there still be step increases and lane increases?" said board member Mahalia Hines, who worked as a CPS principal and teacher for more than three decades.
Such adjustments are not affected by the overall 4 percent increase, said Alicia Winckler, the district's chief of human capital.
In fact, three-quarters of district teachers would still receive a raise next year. An estimated 74 percent would receive an increase rewarding them for their years of service, while another 1 percent would get a pay bump for earning an advanced degree.
The average Chicago teacher's salary is about $69,000.
The district's $712 million deficit could get deeper if the state does not deliver the $293 million in unpaid bills that currently is owed to Chicago schools, according to updated projections detailed by the new administration.
The state spending plan now before Gov. Pat Quinn could deal a further blow, reducing the district's share of state funding by an estimated $77 million, according to district estimates.
What's more, mounting pension obligations and debt service payments owed in the coming three years create what Chief Operating Officer Tim Cawley called "some big challenges."
With some fat already cut from the budget — district officials detailed $75 million in reductions this month — Cawley said, "We're going to be cutting into some muscle, but hopefully it's the muscle we need least to help students learn."
The district plans to bring to the board a proposed budget by late July.
Given the financial outlook, budget experts said the board's decision to withhold the annual salary bump included in the contract was prudent.
"This is a necessary and important action by the new school board as it attempts to deal with its enormous budget deficit," said Laurence Msall, president of the non-partisan Civic Federation.
Sixth-grade teacher Bridget McCormack said many educators who work in the front lines of the city's classrooms welcome changes but feel stung by the decision to cut the pay increase spelled out in the contract at a time when they may be called to work longer every day.
"Everyone knows we have to give a little," said McCormack, who teaches language arts and science at Onahan Elementary School on the Northwest Side. "But I feel like there's so many changes and they're all happening at once. It's hurting morale."
For his part, Vitale affirmed the board's commitment to Chicago educators and defended what he called a competitive salary among urban school districts.
With the board's decision made, Vitale said the unions now must decide how to proceed.
"Effectively," he said, "the ball is in their court."
Tribune reporter Hal Dardick contributed.
www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/ct-met-cps-board-raises-0616-20110615,0,3684868.story
David Vitale, chairman of the Chicago Board of Education, listens to testimony during Wednesday's meeting. The board later voted to rescind scheduled 4 percent pay raises for teachers. (Nancy Stone, Chicago Tribune / June 15, 2011)
By Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah and Tara Malone, Tribune reporters
8:00 p.m. CDT, June 15, 2011
Mayor Rahm Emanuel's handpicked Chicago Public Schools board drew a battle line between the new administration and the teachers union with its first official act when it voted Wednesday to rescind the 4 percent annual raise due to teachers and other school union members.
The board's unanimous vote, allowed under a provision of the contract that is set to expire in 2012, saves an estimated $100 million as the city's public schools confront a deficit now pegged at $712 million for the coming year.
But Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said the union would seek to negotiate the decision to stop the raises from going into effect. If that fails, union leaders could reopen the entire contract — a move that could allow the district to fast-track plans for a longer school day and year for city schoolchildren.
"We are very shocked that the board would take an action that could possibly lead to a strike," Lewis said. "This is going to be a very, very challenging summer."
Emanuel wasted no time in lauding the action, saying in a statement that he appreciated the board's "vigilance in minimizing cuts to our children's classrooms and their commitment to ensuring the public schools are accountable to Chicago's taxpayers."
But union officials and many rank-and-file teachers contend the vote signaled a lack of respect for their work, even though three-quarters of them will still receive some sort of pay increase next year.
It was the opening salvo in what could shape up to be an acrimonious battle between Emanuel's administration and organized labor.
Faced with major money problems at City Hall, CPS, the Chicago Transit Authority and elsewhere, Emanuel is expected to squeeze unions across city government in an effort to cut costs. Employee salary and benefits represent the bulk of the budget at city agencies.
During the mayoral campaign, Emanuel told city residents to brace themselves for shared sacrifice. He got elected with scant union support, making organized labor an easier political target.
Lewis said CTU and other school union officials spent Wednesday afternoon hammering out a plan to mobilize the teachers, cafeteria workers, engineers and other workers who report to schools every day. Beyond the Chicago Teachers Union, the board's decision affects members of the Service Employees International Union, International Union of Operating Engineers and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
CPS confronted a similar situation in 1991 when the district superintendent opened contract negotiations. Last-minute, late-night talks resulted in a 3 percent raise for teachers, rather than the 7 percent hike promised in the contract.
Wednesday's vote came during the first meeting of the new slate of Chicago Board of Education members, schools chief Jean-Claude Brizard and his education team. The new leaders spent little time on formalities, instead delving into the financial quagmire facing the city school system.
District leaders said removing the raises does not forestall the possibility of layoffs.
"There can be no guarantees," said Board President David Vitale. "There's still $600 million to find."
Brizard indicated the budgetary belt-tightening will not increase class sizes, saying "we know the relationship between a student and teacher is at the heart of a student's academic experience."
He also flagged as priorities early childhood education, preparing students to succeed beyond graduation and anti-violence initiatives intended to keep students safe.
Later, Vitale said the district plans to implement "in some form" an extended day program in the coming school year, an idea embraced by Emanuel. A new state law signed this week allows Chicago school officials to lengthen the school day and year, but the union may bargain for more pay or benefits if additional minutes are added.
Before voting on rescinding the raises, the newly seated board members questioned exactly what taking them away could mean for rank-and-file teachers. The current contract rewards educators based primarily on their years of experience in the classroom and their education level, typically called step and lane changes.
"I want to know if the 4 percent increase is not approved, would there still be step increases and lane increases?" said board member Mahalia Hines, who worked as a CPS principal and teacher for more than three decades.
Such adjustments are not affected by the overall 4 percent increase, said Alicia Winckler, the district's chief of human capital.
In fact, three-quarters of district teachers would still receive a raise next year. An estimated 74 percent would receive an increase rewarding them for their years of service, while another 1 percent would get a pay bump for earning an advanced degree.
The average Chicago teacher's salary is about $69,000.
The district's $712 million deficit could get deeper if the state does not deliver the $293 million in unpaid bills that currently is owed to Chicago schools, according to updated projections detailed by the new administration.
The state spending plan now before Gov. Pat Quinn could deal a further blow, reducing the district's share of state funding by an estimated $77 million, according to district estimates.
What's more, mounting pension obligations and debt service payments owed in the coming three years create what Chief Operating Officer Tim Cawley called "some big challenges."
With some fat already cut from the budget — district officials detailed $75 million in reductions this month — Cawley said, "We're going to be cutting into some muscle, but hopefully it's the muscle we need least to help students learn."
The district plans to bring to the board a proposed budget by late July.
Given the financial outlook, budget experts said the board's decision to withhold the annual salary bump included in the contract was prudent.
"This is a necessary and important action by the new school board as it attempts to deal with its enormous budget deficit," said Laurence Msall, president of the non-partisan Civic Federation.
Sixth-grade teacher Bridget McCormack said many educators who work in the front lines of the city's classrooms welcome changes but feel stung by the decision to cut the pay increase spelled out in the contract at a time when they may be called to work longer every day.
"Everyone knows we have to give a little," said McCormack, who teaches language arts and science at Onahan Elementary School on the Northwest Side. "But I feel like there's so many changes and they're all happening at once. It's hurting morale."
For his part, Vitale affirmed the board's commitment to Chicago educators and defended what he called a competitive salary among urban school districts.
With the board's decision made, Vitale said the unions now must decide how to proceed.
"Effectively," he said, "the ball is in their court."
Tribune reporter Hal Dardick contributed.
