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Herricks Board President Chris Turner made the following statement:
“At the January 20 board meeting the president of the Herricks Teacher’s Association (HTA) made the following statement:
‘In light of the financial crisis facing the Herricks School District the Herricks Teacher’s Association agrees that it is necessary to enter into serious dialogue with the Herricks Board of Education.
‘We hope that our conversations can lead to solutions which made ease
the burden facing the Herricks community.’
Turner went on to say, “Unfortunately, not withstanding the district’s efforts there was no dialogue until this week as we waited for the HTA to decide whether or not they would talk with our representatives. When they finally did talk to our attorney on March 7, almost seven weeks after the January 20 statement, our attorney was presented with a proposal that would save roughly $1 million by our calculations as well as theirs.
“However, $750,000 would be through HTA givebacks and $350,000 would be estimated net savings from proposed retirement incentives. It should be noted that we do not consider a retirement incentive a concession or a giveback on the part of any bargaining group.
“These savings were contingent on:
“Guaranteeing all HTA jobs for the 2011-’12 school year thereby tying the board’s hands in preventing it from making cuts that would prove necessary in light of savings required to pass a budget. Extending all contracts by one or two years with step plus percentage increases as follows: Teachers a one-year extension. Step plus 2.25. Secretaries and custodians two years extension, step plus 1.8. Teaching assistants one-year extension, step plus 2.25 and passing the budget.
“We estimate the cost of guaranteeing all HTA positions, teachers, secretaries, custodians, teacher assistants and aides to be $4.2 million above the 2 percent draft budget.
“The challenges facing the Herricks community and the Herricks schools have been clear since last fall. We had hoped to be able to work on these challenges together. Unfortunately, with regards to the HTA this is not the case. They refused any discussion in the fall and then did not become engaged even after they said they would in January.
“The proposal we received this week is not just a case of too little too late. It is late, far too late and the reality is that it is extraordinarily out of step with the feelings of this community and it is also out of step with what bargaining group in other school districts have done to help their schools and their communities through these difficult times.
“Given the fact that time has almost run out on the budgeting process it appears that the window of opportunity for the HTA to meaningful partner with the board on addressing these concerns has closed. We have always had and will continue to have deep respect for the work of what our staff does for this community. We proudly tout what they do and we believe that their efforts compare favorably with not only the best in New York but in fact, the best in the United States.
“We still believe that but we are, however, extremely disappointed by the response of the association to the crisis that confronts us. A crisis that may be more serious than any we have ever seen for decades. Thank you.”
One resident wanted to know if the status of the Herricks Association of Administrators and Supervisors (HAAS). Turner said, “The board approves the memorandum of Agreement between the district and HAAS, dated March 10, regarding amendments to the 2009-’14 collective bargaining agreement between the parties.”
Last edited by tummymumma; 04-07-2011 at 01:42 PM..
Not sure what this means...did the superintendent of Herricks offer to reduce his/her salary (and that of his/her assistants) to the level of the governor...and thereby set an example of fiscal discipline for all bargaining units?
The teachers are under contract to 2014 why would they extend is another year especially with a step plus 2.25% increase. Under their current contract they get a step of around 3.2% plus from 2.5 to 3% Cola each year through 2014, around total of 6% increase each year.
The statement regarding the unions offer of a retirement incentive as a giveback was rather funny.
My question is, what was the school board thinking that appoved this contract back in 2009, did they not notice the economic decline that began in 2008? They approve a contract with salary increases of 6 %/yr fpr 5 years during one of the largest economic down turns on record?
The teachers are under contract to 2014 why would they extend is another year especially with a step plus 2.25% increase. Under their current contract they get a step of around 3.2% plus from 2.5 to 3% Cola each year through 2014, around total of 6% increase each year.
The statement regarding the unions offer of a retirement incentive as a giveback was rather funny.
My question is, what was the school board thinking that appoved this contract back in 2009, did they not notice the economic decline that began in 2008? They approve a contract with salary increases of 6 %/yr fpr 5 years during one of the largest economic down turns on record?
I'm in the Herricks SD and that was/is exactly my sentiment...I never did receive a satisfactory explanation when I posed that question to the board.
I'm in the Herricks SD and that was/is exactly my sentiment...I never did receive a satisfactory explanation when I posed that question to the board.
If this is the same school board from 2009 then they really need to look in the mirror on that contract. I would be careful that the HTA doesn't push some big gains down the road for some minor concessions now. My experience from the contracts I have seen is that they just role them over regardless of the Consumer Price Index.
The teachers contract is up in my school district right now and if the BOE gives them an increase I can guarantee the budget vote will fail. It's going to be interesting in about 2 weeks when all the budgets are presented.
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