In what is just the latest of a series of Unfair Labor Practices committed by Greg Baracy (already the Eduction Association has filed more than 75 against district negotatiors), Wayne Westland minions have posted their last contract offer on the internet.
It's a joke, and their commentary on it is full of lies and half truths.
Lie #1 : The district claims their offer includes 6% raises for half the staff.
Not true. The so-called 6% raises are not raises, but step increases for teachers with less than twelve years. It takes twelve years for a teacher in Wayne Westland to earn a full salary. Teachers in other districts reach that in half the time.
Here are the real numbers, straight out of the published contract:
The starting salary in 2007/2008 was $34,409.
The proposed starting salary for 2008/2009 is $34,753.
That's ONE PERCENT, not SIX.
The top salary for a Masters Degree Teacher in 2008/2009 was 77,160.
The propose starting salary for a Masters Degree Teacher in 2008/2009 is 77,931.
Where's the six percent in that?
If you read carefully, you'll see that the actual raise is 1%. That works out to $14.80 a week for a teacher receiving a full salary.
Lie #2 :
The district claims
the new contract will reduce class sizes.
What a joke. It reduces classes by one student. Next year.
So elementary schools will go from 31 students to 30. High school classes will go from 38 to 37.
Parents and teachers all know that's absurd. Reducing classes by ONE student will not result in any improvements in learning.
Lie #3:
The District claims the new contract will contain health care costs.
In fact, in spite of the various plans offered, the teachers' still is cheaper -- by $300,000.
Lets be clear on that. The District is willing to pay for a plan that will cost $300,000 more than the one the teachers are asking for.
But here's the irony. The District's MORE EXPENSIVE plan actually provides LESS coverage than the cheaper teacher MESSA plan.
But there's more. If you read carefully, the proposal doesn't specify which of the plans the district actually will pay for -- just that it will be one of those listed. And there is no information on what that one plan will cover.
Three lies.
And here's the truth:
The truth is that Greg Baracy is a small and petty man, who is more interested in getting his way than in helping the school district. If the teachers want a particular helath plan, then he doesn't -- even if it costs the taxpayers of Wayne Westland more money. If the teachers and parents want smaller classes becuase it will improve education for the students -- Baracy has no interest. And if better pay will attract better teachers -- and help retain those we have; he doesn't care about that either.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
District Lawyer Stalls Talks
Talks between the Wayne Westland Teachers and district negotiators have been stalled because Superintendent Baracy's lawyer is "too busy" to attend sessions.
How is it that a $1200 an hour lawyer can't find the time to sit in on meetings to resolve the contracts of nearly a thousand teachers.
This just shows the complete lack of commitment of the district to finishing negotiations. By not working actively to settle this dispute, Baracy is holding ten thousand students and their parents hostage.
But he doesn't care.
How is it that a $1200 an hour lawyer can't find the time to sit in on meetings to resolve the contracts of nearly a thousand teachers.
This just shows the complete lack of commitment of the district to finishing negotiations. By not working actively to settle this dispute, Baracy is holding ten thousand students and their parents hostage.
But he doesn't care.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Betrayal!
It turns out that the district offer was just a dirty trick by Baracy. In the first meeting following the Sept 1 offer, Wayne Westland district negotiatiors claimed "it was all a mistake," and pulled the offer off the table.
Baracy lied to get a thirty day extension. They had no intention of ever honoring the offer. Right now, Baracy and his sycophants are probably chuckling in their office over the stunt they pulled.
Following that, how can anyone trust them?
Baracy lied to get a thirty day extension. They had no intention of ever honoring the offer. Right now, Baracy and his sycophants are probably chuckling in their office over the stunt they pulled.
Following that, how can anyone trust them?
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Teachers Agree To Contract Extension
District negotiators have made Wayne Westland teachers an eleventh hour offer that upon first glance looks acceptable.
As a result, both sides have agreed to a thirty day contract extension.
It looks good.
As a result, both sides have agreed to a thirty day contract extension.
It looks good.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
More Lies From Baracy
Wayne Westland Superintendent Greg Baracy has a problem with the truth. He just can't tell it.
The latest "update" on teacher negotiations released by Baracy's office says that teachers are asking for a 14% pay increase.
That's just simply not true.
Teachers have asked for a TWO percent raise, reduced class sizes and to keep quality health care.
I've saved a clip of the pdf below because if they follow past behavior, the press release will disappear from their website and Baracy will deny it ever existed:
The latest "update" on teacher negotiations released by Baracy's office says that teachers are asking for a 14% pay increase.
That's just simply not true.
Teachers have asked for a TWO percent raise, reduced class sizes and to keep quality health care.
I've saved a clip of the pdf below because if they follow past behavior, the press release will disappear from their website and Baracy will deny it ever existed:
Monday, August 18, 2008
Baracy, Board Deny Teacher Sacrifices
Wayne-Westland School District Officials just aren't interested in negotiating a new teacher contract in good faith.
By adopting a take-it-or-leave-it negotiating strategy, they've refused to acknowledge years of concessions made by teachers to help cut costs district wide. In fact, Superintendent Greg Baracy refuses to even acknowledge that there have been any savings at all.
The truth is that the teachers have saved the district over $10 million during the last contract. That represents around 8% of the school system's annual budget.
In the last contract, more than 60% of the district's teachers agreed to pay cuts of $3,000 a year for each of the next twelve years.
That's twelve years of future pay cuts, on top of the decade of stagnant salaries that preceded it. Now thanks to those give-backs, Wayne Westland's starting salaries are $6,000 less than neighboring districts. Indeed, Wayne Westland ranks near the bottom of all districts in Wayne County. (you can look it up).
To help the district financially, teachers also agreed to a doubling of medical co-pays and to ever cheaper health care packages.
All this adds up to significant savings for the district.
Baracy should stop being so mean-spirited and take negotiations seriously.
By adopting a take-it-or-leave-it negotiating strategy, they've refused to acknowledge years of concessions made by teachers to help cut costs district wide. In fact, Superintendent Greg Baracy refuses to even acknowledge that there have been any savings at all.
The truth is that the teachers have saved the district over $10 million during the last contract. That represents around 8% of the school system's annual budget.
In the last contract, more than 60% of the district's teachers agreed to pay cuts of $3,000 a year for each of the next twelve years.
That's twelve years of future pay cuts, on top of the decade of stagnant salaries that preceded it. Now thanks to those give-backs, Wayne Westland's starting salaries are $6,000 less than neighboring districts. Indeed, Wayne Westland ranks near the bottom of all districts in Wayne County. (you can look it up).
To help the district financially, teachers also agreed to a doubling of medical co-pays and to ever cheaper health care packages.
All this adds up to significant savings for the district.
Baracy should stop being so mean-spirited and take negotiations seriously.
Baracy Plays Juvenile Games At Board Meeting
Learning that Wayne Westland teachers planned to attend the Monday August 18 Board of Education Meeting, Superintendent Greg Baracy ordered every administrator to attend to occupy seats, fill the room to the fire code limit and deny entry to teachers.
Not satisfied with that, Baracy set several of his goons at the door to prevent anyone from entering the public meeting.
It violated Michigan Open meetings laws, but Baracy has never been interested in legality, only in control. He knew that later local cable broadcasts would show teacher unification and couldn't risk having that image broadcast.
Not satisfied with that, Baracy set several of his goons at the door to prevent anyone from entering the public meeting.
It violated Michigan Open meetings laws, but Baracy has never been interested in legality, only in control. He knew that later local cable broadcasts would show teacher unification and couldn't risk having that image broadcast.
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