Teachers union requests contract talks
JANESVILLE — Janesville public school teachers voted Monday night to seek contract negotiations with the school board.
This board rejected a similar request Oct. 9, but union President Dave Parr said he has received encouragement from some board members to give it another try.
A letter from the union was to be delivered to board members this morning.
Parr said the union is willing to help the district achieve savings he believes will be at least $10 million. The annual savings would come in employee contributions to their pension payments, health insurance and a change in the early-retirement plan.
The board could impose those same savings after the current contract runs out June 30, 2013, Parr acknowledged.
The state law known as Act 10, if it is upheld in the courts, would kick in next summer, taking away the union's ability to negotiate for anything except wages. The board would be free to impose all manner of changes in benefits and work rules.
But negotiating those items in a contract would help the district attract and retain good teachers, Parr said.
"Where would you rather work, where you have a say in how your workplace is or where you have no say? I would much rather work in a place where the worker is valued," Parr said.
School board President Bill Sodemann said the district is gathering input for its employee handbook, which would replace union contracts next year.
The district set up an email address to collect comments.
However, Parr said writing an email to an address set up for employee input is likely as ineffective as writing a letter to a major corporation.
Parr said the union had proposed negotiations months ago, suggesting the employee health plan be converted to an exclusive provider organization that is similar to the plan the board is now considering, Parr said.
If the board had taken the union up on its offer then, the board would not have had to dip into its reserves to balance this year's budget, Parr said.
"Perhaps we didn't make the offer clear enough" when the union renewed its request in September, Parr said.
Sodemann indicated he is interested in hearing the details, but he said he has not heard any reasons that convince him that negotiations are a good idea.
Sodemann said the board always is willing to hear what the union has to say. That's what the board said in October when it rejected the request for negotiations on a 7-2 vote, he said.
School board member Karl Dommershausen sees an advantage in at least preliminary talks. He suggested two board members could meet with union officials to discuss what the union is offering.
"They have reason to reach out—I'm not naïve, but if we could benefit by it, why wouldn't we look at it?" Dommershausen said.
The school board meets tonight in closed session to discuss, among other things, early retirement benefits and employee compensation.
Dec 12, 2012 at 6:07 p.m.
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My question to the unions is "Why did you wait until now to negotiate and show savings to the schools"? Why now? Why didn't you do this in years past when they always had cost over runs and kept raising taxes on the average citizens to cover them? I see it as a last attempt to save their butts to keep getting dues. Sounds like they are a day late and a dollar short!
Dec 12, 2012 at 10:01 a.m.
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The current contract locks both sides in until 2013. There is plenty of time to see how the Act 10 legislation is dealt with by the courts before locking into what could potentially be another costly union contract........
Dec 12, 2012 at 9:13 a.m.
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Maybe they can negotiate a clothing allowance now that there is such an uproar over not being able to wear frayed clothes & flip flops. Lol.
Dec 12, 2012 at 6:24 a.m.
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Any contract negotiated between schools and unions under the terms of the current court order would be null and void (even if ratified by both parties) if the current ruling is stayed or overturned in appeal at any level. So they could come to an agreement and it would likely all be for naught. Even under Act 10, though, the district is still required to negotiate salary with the teachers.
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:19 a.m.
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So before all Sodemann wanted was the "modest" contributions from teachers when he was begging in the media for the teachers to open their contract, now we see:
"Parr said the union is willing to help the district achieve savings he believes will be at least $10 million. The annual savings would come in employee contributions to their pension payments, health insurance and a change in the early-retirement plan."
Everything the guy has been begging for and its not enough? Funny how that works isnt it? THIS is why the JEA didnt open their contract. Because even when offering to make changes that could save the district 10 million dollars+ they want more. The wont be happy until teaching pays what a Wal Mart greeter makes. Janesville is going to the toilet faster and faster and these people are making it worse.
Dec 12, 2012 at 12:12 a.m.
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""Sodemann indicated he is interested in hearing the details, but he said he has not heard any reasons that convince him that negotiations are a good idea""
Why is a partisan ideologue the face of the Board? Is he the only one on the board? Are the teachers all at the mercy of this guy? Everyone knows he has been waiting for this for years, to stick it to the teachers. Thats all he cares about, its obvious.
Why negotiate? Because they are trying to better the school district, ever think of that? Now that teachers can strike I ALMOST wish that they all did statewide, to teach these people a lesson. I would love to see the district come up with 800+ scab teachers, wonder what the citizens of Janesville would think of Sodemann's board then?
The should negotiate because this district has been doing far better than most in health care costs than the rest of the state. Its called Fund 10, mostly created by the Union's self funded health care. Wonder why Sodemann's board continues to ignore not only that, but the ignore the high performance of teachers in this district when talks of a "handbook". Looks like the Janesville School District is now a subsidiary of Phones Plus.
Wondering, could we please hear some comments from the other 8 members on the board? Wh is it that ever single story out about the JSD seems to involve this guy? 9 people on the board wh is his name in the media?? Makes me wonder sometimes.
Dec 11, 2012 at 11:41 p.m.
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What is the big deal about sitting down and talking with the teachers union? if they are going to offer savings go with it, if not just wait for the ruling which i am sure will come down against the unions anyway, but if you get a negotiated contract with savings and what the district wants wouldn't everyone be happy? I also think it would take some of the sting out.
Dec 11, 2012 at 6:58 p.m.
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Of course the Union wants to negotiate BEFORE the verdict is in. Whats the big rush Union?
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