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Monday, June 27, 2011

New Contract Handouts

Click the links below for copies of the handouts from the June 27 Ratification meeting.

Handouts from the June 27 Ratification Meeting:

Ratification Meeting Powerpoint Presentation

Insurance Plan Structure

Ratification Summary

WE HAVE NOT LOST OUR VOICE!

FWCS School Board Votes to Approve the FWEA/FWCS Contract 5-0

FWCS School Board voted to approve the 2011-2013 FWEA/FWCS teachers contract by 5-0 vote. Thanks to the FWEA Bargaining Team for the over 100 hours they dedicated to getting this contract. Also, thanks to ISTA UniServ Assistants, April and Danielle for their dedication and support we couldn't have done it without them. And last but not least, a HUGE thanks to our 1-L UniServ Director Steve Brace. His bargaining experience and presentations to teachers helped ensure that FWCS teachers would have a voice at the table despite the current changes in education legislation.

FWEA Teachers Ratify New Contract

Monday, June 27, 2011 at 3:30 PM 99.8% of the FWEA members voted to ratify the new contract for the 2011-2013 school years. Over 650 teachers were present. Details of the contract will be released after the FWCS School Board if the Board votes to approve the contract.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Contract Ratification Meeting Monday, June 27

A meeting will be held Monday at 1:00 P.M. to share with all FWCS teachers the tentative contract agreement that the FWEA Bargaining Team and FWCS has agreed upon. After a presentation of the tentative agreement teachers will have an opportunity for questions and answers. After the Q & A is finished teachers that are FWEA members will be given ballots to vote for or against the new contract. Please tell your fellow teachers about this important meeting.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

House Enrolled Act 1260 Slidecast

FWEA & FWCS Reach a Tentative Agreement

FWEA and FWCS reached a tentative contract agreement following a 12 1/2 hour marathon bargaining session Wednesday, June 22 at 10:30 P.M.
A ratification meeting is scheduled for 1:00 P.M. Monday, June 27, 2011 at Anthis Career Center Auditorium.
This meeting is open to all FWCS teachers. Please bring a photo ID to sign in. Only FWEA members who sign in will be given a ballot to vote.
Please tell your co-workers and teacher friends in FWCS about this important meeting.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

ISTA Supports the SOS March

ISTA encourages members to attend the SOS March and related events -- every child deserves a great public school!



Check out the SOS Web Site. Click the logo below.

Save Our Schools March & National Call to Action

Friday, June 10, 2011

The True Colors Of EAG

From: Steve Gunn [mailto:sgunn@edactiongroup.org]
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2011 10:47 AM
To: A FWCS HS Teacher Name withheld
Subject: RE: EAG Response to a FWCS Teacher


I don’t need to be an “expert.” I am a taxpayer. In case you haven’t noticed, we fund the schools and we will run them any way we choose, whether you and your self-serving union friends like it or not.
The vast majority of Indiana voters are obviously ready for reform , or they wouldn’t have voted the way they did. The nation is obviously ready for reform, or laws wouldn’t be changing as quickly as they are.
By the way, what makes you an “expert?” Your low-grade bachelor’s degree? I have one of them, also.
Your temper tantrum is getting louder. That means the people did the right thing by finally telling you and your kind “No More!”
No more laying off young teachers and cancelling student programs while selfish old teachers get to keep their perks and benefits. No more union-owned insurance companies ripping off schools (Indiana) or unfairly monopolizing the school insurance market (Michigan and Wisconsin). No more local union presidents demanding that child molesting teachers be given letters of recommendation in exchange for their resignations (Illinois). No more union presidents getting full-time off with full pay and benefits do to nothing but plot against the school district and taxpayers. No more tenure commissions ordering the reinstatement of mentally ill teachers due to legal technicalities (Genesee County, Michigan). No more unions fighting to keep poor kids trapped in shitty, dangerous city schools because union jobs and union dues would be lost. No more step raises, longevity bonuses, overage pay, reimbursement for unused sick days or free insurance while school districts are operating with budget deficits.
None of the above is propaganda. It’s all fact-based and documented. Schools are for children, not selfish union activists who staff them. The people (not some Nazi-like totalitarian regime) have made that final determination at the ballot box, whether you like it or not.
It’s troubling that a radical freak like you is allowed to speak in front of impressionable children. You should be shown the door. Perhaps in the new, reformed environment, you will be.

Proposed Contract Changes

Below are information handouts from June 9, 2011 Meeting. Click on the links below to view or download the handouts and/or powerpoint presentation.





FWEA Silent Protest at Board Meeting Canceled

THERE WILL NOT BE A SILENT PROTEST AT MONDAY’S FWCS BOARD MEETING. Students and teachers will be recognized at this meeting and FWEA does not want to intrude or create conflict.

We appreciate those of you that were actively gathering teachers to be at the meeting on Monday, however, it is not the appropriate time or place.

Mediator Appointed for IMPASSE with FWCS/FWEA

The IEERB Indiana Education Employees Relations Board has assigned Carolyn Roper as the mediator between FWCS and FWEA. The first meeting will be on June 20, 2011 at 10:00. Additional meetings, if necessary are scheduled for June 22, June 27, and June 28.
Please follow the progress of the mediation and updates on this blog. The Indiana Education Employment Relations Board (IEERB) was established in order to promote harmonious and cooperative relationships between public school teachers and the school corporations they serve, thereby improving the educational process for Hoosier children.

To fulfill this mission, the legislature designated IEERB as the administrator of Indiana Code 20-29. IEERB's primary goal is to assist our constituents expeditiously and effectively in exploring innovative ways of improving the changing labor relationship.

IEERB's major functions are outlined in Indiana Code 20-29-3 and include conciliation and mediation, fact finding, research, unit determination and representation, and unfair labor practice processing.

To complete these functions, the agency is organized into the Administrative Operations Division, the Legal Division, the Conciliation Services Division, and the Research Division.

Monday, June 6, 2011

CONTRACT NEWS-Thursday, June 9,2011 Northrop Auditorium 4:15 pm

Monday, June 6, 2011
Dear FWCS Teachers,
On May 26, 2011 FWEA held a mass meeting for FWEA Members to provide an update on the current
bargaining status between FWCS and FWEA at the Anthis Career Center. After the presentation, FWEA
members voted on three (3) options: 1) Accept the FWCS proposal, 2) Declare Impasse, 3) Bargain in
August.
With over 600 teachers present, 86% voted for an impasse, 14% voted to bargain in August, and less than
1% voted to accept the FWCS proposal. Because of Dr. Robinson’s recent published statements, FWEA
believes it is necessary to share with you again the detailed parts of the contract that FWCS wishes to gut.
This is not about money. This is not about Steve and Al as stated by FWCS Leadership and Dr. Robinson.
This is about your ability to do your job under contract protections that are still allowed to be in place under
Indiana Law for the next two years. FWCS teachers have shared with FWEA that they feel disbelief,
insulted, discouraged, ignored, manipulated, betrayed, disappointed, abandoned, angry, unappreciated,
and demoralized. Student success is our # 1 goal. What progress has FWEA blocked in improving student
achievement?

“We are not trying to change teacher working conditions.”- Dr. Wendy Robinson
“We should not get hysterical over things that are not real.”- Dr. Wendy Robinson
“Disagreements are with the union leadership not with teachers as a whole.”- Dr. Wendy
Robinson
“I am not in nor would I start a conflict with teachers.”- Dr. Wendy Robinson
“Keeping these in effect for another two years would block progress on some strategies
for improving student achievement.”- Dr. Wendy Robinson

Remember, FWCS does NOT have to remove any of this
language now and we can jointly work together the next two
years collaborating on what the new language will be. All we
are asking FWCS is to allow us to keep parts of our contract
that FWCS teachers have said are important in dealing with
their working conditions, their professional respect and dignity
in dealing with the students they are educating.
See and hear for yourself what will be lost of your rights. If you
did not attend the first meeting on May 26, you need to be at
our next meeting to hear the TRUTH of what will happen to
your working conditions. Handouts will be available along with
Q & A following the presentation.

Al Jacquay II, FWEA President Steve Brace, 1L UniServ Director

IMPORTANT FWEA
TEACHER MEETING:
FWEA/FWCS Bargaining Update
Northrop High School
Thursday, June 9, 2011
4:15 PM
LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!