BTU Web Site - CONTRACT NEGOTIATION NEWS

Union Taps Noted Labor Lawyer for Impasse

Tamarac, Fla., Oct. 28, 2008 – At the request of BTU President Pat Santeramo, all Broward schools employee unions agreed to delay settling their contracts in support of the district's instructional staff. With BTU's recent declaration of formal impasse, President Santeramo has expressed his support for the unions bringing their contract negotiations to a close effective November 1st. President Santeramo said the BTU's negotiations team appreciates each union's show of support and each union's ongoing offers to provide whatever assistance is needed as contract negotiations for instructional staff enters the impasse process.

The BTU has hired nationally recognized labor relations attorney Mark Richard of Miami to represent the union's members in the impasse process. President Santeramo said all union members should take confidence in knowing they are represented by one of the nation's best and most respected labor lawyers. On the other hand, Superintendent Jim Notter has chosen attorney Robert Soloff to represent them. The two sides will now begin the process of choosing an impartial hearing officer, called a Special Magistrate, from a list supplied by the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC).

The primary goal of the impasse process is to preserve and protect the contract's language regarding step movement. The two sides will also argue for and against a guaranteed step for the next school year.

All staff members will be kept informed as the impasse process proceeds.

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Union Declares Impasse – Holds The Line!

Coconut Creek, Fla., Oct. 14, 2008 – Negotiators for the Broward Teachers Union declared formal impasse, today, Tuesday, Oct. 14, after meeting with School Board representatives and yet again failing to reach an agreement concerning a small salary increase for the 2009-2010 school year.

More than 100 members attended the session at Atlantic Technical Center in Coconut Creek and provided invaluable support to the union’s negotiations team. Union negotiators pledged to hold the line when it comes to a step increase for next year and will not stop fighting for salary schedule equity for all employees.

“We have a signed and sealed document for the state and at this juncture, a copy will be faxed to the district forthwith,” BTU Chief Negotiator Dane Ramson said. “I think the district’s inability to find enough money for teacher raises out of its $2 billion operating budget is disingenuous at best.”

Previously, union negotiators had preliminarily announced impasse on August 14, but did not file the official paperwork with Florida’s Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) when district officials quickly asked union leaders in writing to reconsider. At the time, the two negotiations teams were deadlocked over salary increases with the school board making no pay increase proposals for six meetings in a row. The union experienced its first major victory when district negotiators returned to the table during the next negotiations session on Tuesday, August 19, and offered a salary increase despite earlier repeated claims that they had no money for such.

Ramson said despite this victory, negotiations quickly slowed again over the issue of a guaranteed step increase for next school year. Most district employees receive pay increases based on a salary schedule that compensates them with step movement depending on their years of experience.

Although union leaders worked informally behind the scenes with district officials to develop language that would provide employees with their promised raises for next year, Superintendent Jim Notter refused and proved inflexible on the issue. School Board Chief Negotiator Susan Dumala stated district officials cannot guarantee they will be able to find enough money out their $2 billion operating budget to promise salary increases or guaranteed step movement for next year.

Following the meeting, Ramson outlined why she views the union’s declaring impasse as a victory:

The union had fought to make sure all members receive a raise. On Tuesday, district negotiators agreed to offer an average 3.25 percent increase including this year’s step increase that took effect July 1, 2008. If the district had not made this concession and remained firm on their claim that they had no money to offer more than a step increase, thousands of employees would have been left with no raise at all.

Union negotiators continue to fight to bring greater equity to the salary schedule. During today’s negotiation session, district negotiators formally accepted in writing the union’s salary schedule proposal that accelerates steps 2 to 4 and 13 to 15. This will provide larger raises for more employees on the schedule and it reduces the number of steps all employees must travel to reach the district’s highest salaries. The victory is significant because this will dramatically impact the career earning power of all members.

The union achieved another important victory by declaring impasse because Notter and other district officials had been trying to remove references to step movement from the existing contract, which would have made it much more difficult to negotiate such steps in the future. Based on past precedent, special masters in the impasse process rarely – if not virtually never – remove existing, agreed to language from a contract. This means the district will not be successful in having references to step movement removed from the contract. The integrity of the contract’s step language will remain intact allowing negotiators to continue the fight for a guaranteed step for next year as early as May.

At the same time, during the impasse process, a special master will likely not award a guaranteed step for next year because it falls outside of the current negotiations’ time frame. However, members of the school board who up until now have discussed negotiations in hiding in special private closed door sessions will be forced to vote publicly to deny their employees step movement for next year. Even if they vote no, their action will only last for the duration of the existing contract and negotiators will begin work on next year’s step increase as early as May.

“The BTU will not give up the fight for the guaranteed step increase. If the school board wants to try and impose it by hiding behind a mediator or special master, let them try, but the school board members will have to vote publicly to deny their hardworking employees the step increase they have earned and deserve. We pledge to continue this fight right for real salary schedule equity into the next round of contract talks,” Ramson said.

Depending on the cooperation of Notter and other district officials, union leaders hope the impasse process will be concluded before the winter holiday. Employees will receive the average 3.25 percent increase retroactively to July 1, 2008, which is the start of the school district’s fiscal year.

In the mean time, union officials have scheduled a major protest before the school board’s anticipated vote in downtown Fort Lauderdale involving both district employees and community groups. The union plans a variety of activities to begin educating parents and community members about the district’s finances and the need for employee raises.

As more information becomes available, it will be released and posted online at www.BTUonline.com in the contract news section.

NEXT NEGOTIATIONS SESSION SCHEDULED

October 9, 2008 --The next negotiations session has been scheduled. Please Attend! It is essential that as many stewards and members as possible attend the next contract negotiations session at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 14th at Atlantic Technical Center (Building 2 / Room 122) located at 4700 Coconut Creek Parkway in Coconut Creek.

NOTE: The later time and new location! The goal is to have each worksite send at least ONE (1) representative. It is not easy, but as the contract negotiations dispute goes on longer, all stewards and members must have the strength and resolve to demand respect and show up to get it. PLEASE BE THERE! IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

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Notter Rebuffs Employees

October 9, 2008 -- For all of the BTU negotiations team's hard work, member support and resulting positive progress, Superintendent Jim Notter has been totally inept in using his leadership skills to bring the two sides any closer to an agreement. Despite BTU President Pat Santeramo and Chief Negotiator Dane Ramson spending countless hours showing flexibility and good will in order to preserve the contract language that governs step movement and promote a guaranteed step for the 2009-2010 school year, district leaders have insulted all employees by rebuffing their efforts. Union negotiators continue to fight for salary schedule equity for all members.

Without revealing the BTU's negotiations strategy, union leaders have instructed negotiations team to ratchet up their efforts and take definitive action against the district. Union leaders encourage all members to stay informed and please be prepared to take action. While the two sides have agreed to an "average" 3.25 percent increase for this year, the remaining battle centers on the district's efforts to strip the contract of language that provides step movement and to impose arbitrary and capricious salary increases in the name of equity. The union stands firm that such equity decisions should be made by the district and union salary schedule committee that consists of experts, district officials, union representatives and, most important, employees.

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ADMINISTRATORS TAKE PAY -- UNIONS STAND STRONG

October 8, 2008 -- Demonstrating a weakness in leadership, Broward school administrators have opted to take the 3.25 percent increase that the BTU has fought and struggled to negotiate with the district. Rather than leading by example and doing the right thing, members of the School Board voted to approve raises for administrators and a small number of confidential employees based on the salary increase negotiated by BTU's members. Only School Board Members Eleanor Sobel and Maureen Dinnen spoke out against the administrators stating they should wait until all contracts are settled. Although the district's other unions do not have issues with step movement, at this time, they have decided to wait to receive the same raise.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE

OCTOBER 15 TOWN HALL MEETING ACTIVITY CANCELLED: The contract negotiations protest scheduled for the district's October 15 Town Hall Meeting has been cancelled.

ALL MEMBERS WHO PLANNED TO ATTEND THE TOWN HALL MEETING ARE URGED TO ATTEND THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS SESSION AT 4:30 P.M. ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14 AT ATLANTIC TECHNICAL CENTER.

Just a reminder: All members are urged to BOYCOTT the Employee District Town Hall Meeting at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 15 at Piper High School.

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No School Board Special Session; No District Negotiations Team Authority; No Contract Negotiations Movement!

Sept. 25, 2008 -- Broward Teachers Union and School Board of Broward County negotiators met Thursday and failed to reach an agreement in front of a rowdy crowd of more than 200 district employees.

After Broward Schools Chief Negotiator Susan Dumala announced the district's team had no authorization to respond to proposals, BTU Chief Negotiator Dane Ramson accused them of stalling the contract talks and demanded Superintendent Jim Notter attend the next meeting because he appears to be the only representative with the authority to negotiate. The contract talks continue to focus on a guaranteed step increase for the 2009-2010 school year and salary schedule equity.

"In all my years of negotiating, I have never seen a school district team that has no authority like this one," Ramson said. "The district team members are not negotiators. They are nothing more than extremely well paid couriers and messengers."

She said the district negotiators came to the table Thursday without authority to make decisions or have substantive input regarding outstanding issues. Union negotiators offered another salary proposal designed to continue the organization's efforts to make the salary schedule's step system more equitable for all employees. They also talked about the need to re-energize the district and union salary schedule committee.

Ramson urged the district negotiators to take the union's proposal back to Superintendent Notter and asked them not to return until School Board members meet in closed door session. The audience broke into applause when Ramson questioned whether the district team's inability to make any decisions at the negotiations table equaled bargaining in bad faith.

The contract talks ended with Ramson thanking the employees for taking the time to attend the negotiations session. She said the employees' attendance demonstrated their commitment to reaching an agreement that includes a guaranteed step increase for next year.

Union officials said the 202 members in attendance set two organizational record for the most members attending and the highest number of worksites represented at a negotiations session. They hope just as many members will attend the next negotiations session, which has yet to be scheduled.

"I wanted to thank them for being there. I am not sure the members fully understand how important their attendance and support is to the negotiations team and the contract talks. We really appreciate them," Ramson said.

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NEGOTIATORS STALL ON STEP: Employees flood Superintendent Notter and Schoool Board Chairwoman Bartleman’s personal cell phones with pleas for help

September 16, 2008 -- In front of a standing room only crowd of nearly 200 teachers, Broward Teachers Union and School Board of Broward County negotiators met Tuesday and failed to break their deadlock over salary increases.

BTU Chief Negotiator Dane Ramson said union members have “drawn a line in the sand” over a guaranteed step increase for the 2009-2010 school year. Employees attending the meeting demonstrated their commitment and support by using noise makers before the negotiations began. They gave the union’s negotiations team a standing ovation as they entered the union hall to begin the contract talks.

School district negotiators remained firm on their offer of an average 3.25 percent salary increase, which includes the guaranteed step increase that was negotiated during the 2007-2008 school year and took effect July 1, 2008.

In a small, but positive move, District Chief Negotiator Susan Dumala formally agreed to accept the union’s salary schedule proposal that determines how the 3.25 percent increase in dollars would be applied to this year’s step system. At the same time, district negotiators continued to refuse to offer a guaranteed step increase for the 2009-2010 school year. Audience members jeered the district’s negotiators when they indicated no movement on the guaranteed step movement issue.

During the negotiators’ first caucus, district employees who attended the meeting used their own cell phones to flood Superintendent Jim Notter and School Board Chairwoman Robin Bartleman’s personal cell and home telephones with voice and text messages. Reportedly, Bartleman initially hung up her cell phone on one of the district employees, but another union member stated she spoke with him for several minutes.

The cell phone activity is just one part of the union’s new “Step Up!” campaign, which will be formally launched during an emergency meeting of the union’s stewards at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 17 at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites in Sunrise. Besides continuing the cell phone activity, members will be writing to county and state leaders asking for their support. Employees also plan to attend and protest at the district’s series of public town hall meetings, which are intended for residents to learn about the school system’s budget and finances.

When negotiations resumed after the caucus, Ramson argued that the district will have the $15 million out of its $2 billion operating budget for the 2009-2010 school year to fund the guaranteed step increase. Dumala countered the district refuses to make the promise of a guaranteed step increase. She claimed if district officials guaranteed the increase and didn’t have the needed funds to pay for it, they would be forced to implement cross the board layoffs of employees.

Ramson said she found it implausible that out of $2 billion the district would not have enough funds to guarantee the step increase. Following the negotiations, she said many employees have worked for two decades to get to the higher salaries at the top of the pay schedule. The top steps also impact the employees’ retirement benefits.

“We will work with the district to address the salary schedule’s inequities, but we must treat all employees fairly,” Ramson said. “The district must make good on its promise to pay the salaries that employees have waited so long to earn and stop using scare tactics to bring all employees into line.”

She said the union’s leaders have always been willing to work with the district in difficult financial times. Negotiators need to end the stalemate by finding ways to honor the salary schedule and at the same time make sure all employees receive fair salary increases.

“The existing salary schedule has been in place for years and it cannot be fixed in one round of negotiations or through extreme moves by the district to eliminate the step system even if is for only one year or more,” she said.

Union leaders remain committed to reaching an agreement as soon as possible arguing that the focus of all employees should be on educating the county’s school children. A new negotiations session has not been scheduled at this time.

District Attacks Salary Schedule Step System

September 10, 2008 -- Following a protracted closed door session of the School Board, contract negotiations between the BTU and SBBC finally took place at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the BTU office in Tamarac. Union and district negotiators met for less than an hour and exchanged one salary proposal each.

BTU-EP Chief Negotiator Dane Ramson said district negotiators offered a 3.25 percent salary increase with no guaranteed step movement for the 2009-2010 school year. Union negotiators accepted the district's average 3.25 percent salary increase proposal, which includes the step movement that took effect July 1, 2008. At the same time, they rejected the district's proposal that employees receive no guaranteed step movement for the next school year. The district's proposal would modify language in contract's Appendix E.

Union negotiators proposed an average 3.25 percent salary increase with a guaranteed step movement for the 2009-2010 school year. Ramson said employees agreed to work for Broward schools based on the existing contract provisions. The contract stipulates that employees would be compensated through the salary schedule's step system. It would be unfair after employees have dedicated years of service to the district's 263,000 students to abruptly change the way employees are compensated.

Union negotiators believe that just as the two sides were about to reach an agreement Tuesday night, district officials suddenly decided to change the way employees are compensated. Irrespective of the availability of state funding for pay increases and step movement next year, district officials apparently want to eliminate the salary schedule's step system. Nearly all school districts in the nation use varying forms of salary schedule step systems that compensate employees for years of experience.

Ramson said last year, the district and union agreed to establish a salary schedule committee because the union is concerned about inequities in the salary schedule and the way employees are paid. The union and district charged the committee members with reviewing the salary schedule and submitting recommendations for changes to BTU President Pat Santeramo and Superintendent Jim Notter.

Based on the district's proposal to eliminate all references to step advancements from the contract and take away guaranteed step movement for next school year, union negotiators believe district officials want to circumvent the responsibility of the salary schedule committee that the school board agreed to create. Union leaders want to address inequities in the salary schedule, but believe changes to the step system should be done in a thoughtful, data driven manner that involves employees. Such compensation policy changes should not take place in the heat of negotiations.

Ramson said district representatives appear to be negotiating the 2009-2010 salary schedule based upon a projected budget deficit that has yet to be established. District negotiators are stalling contract talks for this year based on speculation of what might occur next year.

"We want to finalize negotiations the 2008-09 school year and worry about next year, next year!" Ramson said.

Members of the School Board conducted another closed door session at 6 p.m. Wednesday night and will meet again Friday morning behind closed doors. Union and district negotiators will return to contract talks at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16 at the BTU office in Tamarac. For the most up-to-date information, please log on to www.BTUonline.com.

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CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS FAIL

September 9, 2008 -- With a standing room only audience at the BTU union hall, negotiators for the Broward Teachers Union and School Board of Broward County fought for over four hours to reach an agreement, but ultimately only settled on adjourning for the night to reconvene late Wednesday morning.

BTU-EP Chief Negotiator Dane Ramson announced to the remaining members of the union and media at about 8:30 p.m. that negotiations would stop for the night. The main sticking point is the guarantee of an automatic step increase for the 2009-2010 school year. School district leaders appear unwilling to even discuss the use of the steps in the future whether money from the state proves to be available or not.

"These are likely the most difficult negotiations we have seen in years largely due to the extreme lack of state funding for public schools," BTU President Pat Santeramo. "We fought hard this evening and will continue to fight to make sure all members receive the highest possible salary increase no matter what form it takes."

The district and union want to address perceived inequities in the salary schedule and the step system. Strong disagreement focuses on how best to do so. As is the case with any contract talks, each side will return to the table Wednesday morning to try to reach an agreement that meets the needs of employees and their students as wells as union and district negotiation priorities.

At the same time, members of the School Board will return to their special closed door session, which recessed at the same time that negotiations concluded until Wednesday morning.

REMINDER: WORKING TO THE RULE -- Working to the Rule started at worksites throughout the distrct on Thursday, September 4. All employees are urged to perform contractually required duties only. Additional Work to the Rule info and a Work to the Rule Q&A is available online at www.BTUonline.com . All members are encouraged to report Work to the Rule success stories via email at Communications@BTUonline.com. Working to the Rule will continue through Friday, September 12th.

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UNION LEADERS SCHEDULE NEGOTIATION ACTIVITIES

IMPORTANT NOTE: Times, dates and locations will be communicated to all members as events and activities are further organized.

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SEPT. 3RD NEGOTIATIONS PROTEST REPORT: Union leaders thank the many members who participated in "We give our 'soles' to public schools!" protest. Despite many schools having open houses, in total, nearly 2,000 school district employees took action and made their voices heard. Members strongly conveyed their negotiation concerns and priorities:

+ Members recognize the state economic downturn and district financial crisis.

+ The BTU wants to prevent layoffs and protect jobs.

+ No salary increase for thousands of experienced education professionals is unacceptable.

+ Employees want union negotiators to fight for the highest salary increase possible considering the current budget.

+ Members want to work toward making the salary schedule more equitable.

+ Everyone wants an a contract agreement as soon as possible so they can focus on their number one priority: students.

+ Members insist they must have a step increase for next school year.

Members successfully told their stories about the struggles of working for Broward Public Schools, the need for a contract and fair salary increase. The event received heavy media coverage from all of South Florida's major affiliate television stations including three news helicopters and three Spanish language television stations. The Sun-Sentinel and Miami Herald and Community News Consortium provided extensive coverage in their print and online editions. Several radio stations sent reporters to interview employees. Most important, school employees told their stories and the public has learned about their struggles.

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SCHOOL BOARD CLOSED DOOR SESSION: Superintendent Jim Notter has suddenly scheduled a closed door session with members of the School Board on Monday. Notter has scheduled the meeting to discuss funding for salary increases.

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NEW CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS SCHEDULED: Negotiators will be at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 9 at the BTU office (6000 North University Drive) in Tamarac. Every worksite is asked to send at least one member or more to the contract talks. Stewards and/or their designee members at middle schools are asked to make arrangements with their principal to leave early during their sixth hour planning period.

EVERY WORKSITE NEEDS TO BE REPRESENTED BY AT LEAST ONE EMPLOYEE.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In the event that the district closes early or for the day on Tuesday due to Hurricane Ike, the contract negotiations session will be canceled. All of the following activities will be scheduled accordingly.

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JOINT UNION - DISTRICT TRAINING CANCELED: Due to the ongoing contract dispute, all stewards have been notified that Joint Steward & Administrator Training scheduled for Friday was canceled. All future union cooperative and collaborative initiatives and activities with the district will be canceled until the contract is settled and employees receive a fair salary increase.

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WORKING TO THE RULE STARTS: Working to the Rule started at worksites throughout the distrct on Thursday, September 4. All employees are urged to perform contractually required duties only. Additional Work to the Rule info is available online at www.BTUonline.com. A Work to the Rule Q&A is included at the end of this message. All members are encouraged to report Work to the Rule success stories via email at Communications@BTUonline.com. Working to the Rule will continue through Friday, September 12th. In the event of weather related school closures, Work to the Rule will not be extended at this time.

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NEGOTIATIONS PUBLIC SERVICE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN: The BTU is preparing a print and radio public service advertising campaign spotlighting the district's failure to make education professionals and their students a funding priority as well as its mismanagement of contract negotiations with the district's 30,000 employees. Broward tax payers deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent and how negotiations have been conducted by Superintendent Jim Notter. The ongoing contract negotiations impact virtually every employee. During every past contract negotiations, community groups and residents have ultimately and strongly supported the district employees who work most directly with our children.

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POSTCARD ACTION PLAN: If a contract agreement is not reached, all union stewards attending September's Area Steward Meetings will launch a district and community postcard campaign. Stewards and then members will send thousands of postcards to district and community leaders urging them to make sure all employees receive a fair salary increase so they can afford the skyrocketing costs of health insurance for their families, buy gas for their cars so they can get to work to educate our community's children and at the end of the day buy food for their families. That is not an unreasonable or unfair expectation.

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CONTRACT RALLY -- STREET MARCH -- PROTEST (RAIN OR SHINE): Union staff and steward volunteers have started organizing a massive Contract Rally -- Street March -- Protest in downtown Fort Lauderdale. All participating members will invite at least one parent and one community member to attend the event with them. Community groups and affiliate unions will also be invited to send representatives. The event will start at Stranahan Park with a large rally with food and music featuring state political and national union leaders and sign waving along Broward Boulevard. Ample parking can easily be found surrounding Stranahan Park and the K.C. Wright Building. Shuttles will be availalbe after the march. Based on the attendance at Tuesday's protest, organizers anticipate thousands of employees, parents and community members will attend the event. Participants will march down Southeast 3rd Avenue to the K.C. Wright Building where an informational picket will take place. Stewards will receive details with talking points and flyers to use in inviting members, parents and community members.

NEGOTIATIONS PROTEST ON!

Contract negotiations collapsed between the Broward Teachers Union and Broward Schools Superintendent Jim Notter today.

As of 5 p.m., Tuesday, 1,739 Broward schools employees have pledged to protest at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 3 at the K.C. Wright Building in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

The theme of the protest is “We give our soles to public schools!” and employees are asked to bring old shoes, sneakers and flip-flops to the event.

ALL EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE PLEDGED TO ATTEND THE PROTEST ARE ASKED TO BRING A COLLEAGUE, FAMILY MEMBER AND FRIEND!

State and community leaders have promised to join the protest and encourage the protesters who are fighting for a cost of living salary increase.

Employees simply want to be able to continue buying gas to get to work to educate our community’s school children and make enough money to purchase food and health insurance for their families.

On a positive note:

The Union and the District tentatively agreed to modifications of Article 4, Professional Compensation.

1) Teachers hired with valid continuing or professional service contracts in the State of Florida will be eligible for reinstatement of said status after successful completion of 97 days and the Principal petitions Instructional staffing to have said status restored. Additionally, said status will be automatically reinstated upon successful completion of one year of employment with the School Board of Broward County.

2) Notice of tentative assignments will be distributed to teachers two weeks in advance.

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Members Prepare for Protest

August 28, 2008 -- As thousands of Broward education professionals prepare to protest at the K.C. Wright Building at 4:30 p.m. next Wednesday, district negotiators finally put forth a salary proposal during Thursday's negotiation session at the BTU office.

BTU Chief Negotiator Dane Ramson called the district's first salary proposal a repugnant insult to the school district's hard working employees. After two months of searching, Superintendent Jim Notter finally found enough money from the district's $2 billion operating budget to offer the vast majority of the district's employees a less than $50 dollar a paycheck salary increase. For the 4,000 employees at the top of the salary schedule -- many of whom have given the district more than two decades of service -- district negotiators proposed a lump sum payment that equals less than $30 per paycheck.

According to the district proposal, the new starting salary for employees would increase from $38,500 to $39,000. The district proposes giving teachers whose salary increase would be less than $640, the difference in a lump sum so their respective increase would total at least $640 for this school year alone.

It is important to note that none of the lump sum payments would be added to the salary schedule.

Ramson said the district's proposal also included a .18 percent increase effective January 1, 2009. More repulsively, district negotiators proposed eliminating automatic step movement for the 2009-2010 school year.

"It goes without saying that the BTU rejected the district's proposal," Ramson said. "We sent them back with our counter proposal, which we believe considering the district's budget difficulties, is more than reasonable."

The number one goal of union negotiators is increasing salaries while protecting jobs during difficult financial times unseen in years. They proposed an average 3.38 percent salary increase including the step movement that took effect July 1, 2008. A portion of the increase would take place once the agreement is ratified retroactively to the beginning of the school year and another increase mid year.

The union's salary proposal would increase the starting salary to $39,000 with a new top salary of $71,565. Union negotiators proposal continues to address inequities in the salary schedule by accelerating steps 2 to 4 and 13 to 15. It also includes an automatic step for the 2009-2010 school year.

Other counter proposals discussed by negotiations included teachers receiving their tentative assignments one week before the end of the school year as opposed to the last day of school.

The union's original proposal requested that said notice be given thirty days before the end of the school year. After careful consideration, union negotiators countered with two weeks notice of reassignments being sufficient.

District negotiators offered a counter proposal regarding Professional Service Contracts in the State of Florida would automatically reinstate said status upon completion of one year.

BTU negotiators countered with 90 days.

Union leaders believe district officials will do whatever they can to make certain the Informational Negotiations Protest scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 3 at the K.C. Wright Building does not take place. District officials will make every effort to schedule a closed door session for members of the School Board next Tuesday afternoon.

Accordingly, the next negotiations session will be scheduled for 4 p.m. on Tuesday, September 2 at the BTU office in Tamarac. All employees will be kept informed of negotiations and protest developments and actions.

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Union Schedules Negotiations and Protest

TAKE ACTION: SIGN THE INFORMATIONAL PROTEST PLEDGE AND PETITION TODAY -- All members, colleagues, family members and friends are URGED to attend the BTU Informational Negotiations Protest from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 3rd (rain or shine) at the K.C. Wright Building in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

PLEDGE to attend this important informational protest and send an e-mail petition to Superintendent Jim Notter today! Let's flood the superintendent's e-mail again now!

Members and non-members can also log on to www.BTUonline.com to pledge to attend the protest and send Superintendent Notter a petition message.

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SCHOOL BOARD SCHEDULES CLOSED DOOR SESSION: Members of the School Board will be meeting in closed door session on Wednesday, August 27 to discuss contract negotiations and funding for cost of living increases for all employees. LET'S FLOOD SUPERINTENDENT NOTTER'S E-MAIL WITH PLEDGES AND PETITION MESSAGES BEFORE WEDNESDAY'S SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. School Board Chairwoman Robin Bartleman and School Board Member Beverly Gallagher met with BTU stewards recently to speak directly with union leaders about the negotiations.

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NEGOTIATIONS TEAMS SCHEDULE NEXT CONTRACT TALKS: Union and school board negotiators will meet for contract talks at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 28 at the BTU Office (6000 North University Drive) in Tamarac. All stewards and members whose schedules allow are asked and urged to attend.

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CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS PROTEST: MARK YOUR CALENDAR! -- All members and their colleagues, family members and friends are urged to attend the Informational Negotiations Protest from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 3 (rain or shine) at the K.C. Wright Building / 600 SE 3rd Ave. / in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Members of the media and community leaders are also expected to attend. SHOW YOU HAVE GIVEN YOUR SOUL FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS -- BRING AN OLD PAIR OF SHOES THAT YOU CAN THROW AWAY WITH YOU! Learn more at www.BTUonline.com soon!

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EMAIL CAMPAIGN HUGE SUCCESS:

ALL EMPLOYEES URGED TO WEAR BLACK ON MONDAY!

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA., Aug. 14, 2008 -- Broward Teachers Union leaders declared impasse late Tuesday after school district negotiators offered employees a zero salary increase for six weeks in a row. Despite offering no salary increase since contract negotiations started in June, district officials expressed in a statement "surprise" that the BTU would declare impasse.

Union members flooded school board and district e-mails and faxes with over 90,000 informational messages. The e-mail and fax campaign was a huge success.

ALL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES ARE ENCOURAGED TO DRESS IN BLACK ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE CRITICAL ROLE TEACHERS MAKE IN THE LIVES OF THEIR STUDENTS. WE MUST ALL BE WILLING TO TAKE A STAND AND SPEAK OUT IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SEVERE STATE FUNDING CUTS.

BTU President Pat Santeramo said following Tuesday's contract negotiations that district negotiators need to respect the county's 17,000 teachers and at least offer a step increase and cost of living raise that equals an average 5 percent increase. If the salary increase is limited only to step movement about 25 percent will not receive any raise and the union will be unable to continue its effort to accelerate steps and make the schedule more equitable.

District officials would have to find $40 million to pay for the raise out of its $5 billion budget ($2 billion general fund). Union leaders believe the district has the money to do so because in part they over budgeted for this year's step increase by basing the cost of the step increase on last year's staffing numbers instead of the correct number of employees for the 2008-2009 school year.

The union's e-mail and fax campaign was an unprecedented success. Union members flooded and crippled the district's e-mail and fax systems with nearly 90,000 informational messages, prompting school officials to contact the union's office to ask for relief. The campaign will end at 5:00 p.m., today, Wednesday so members can direct their attention to dressing in black on the first day of school for students, Monday, August 18, 2008.

THE MEDIA HAS ASKED WHAT SCHOOLS WILL HAVE A MAJORITY OF EMPLOYEES WEARING BLACK. ALSO, REPORTERS HAVE ASKED THE BTU TO PROVIDE AN APPROXIMATE COUNT OF HOW MANY EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATE IN BLACK MONDAY. IF YOUR SCHOOL HAS SOMETHING SPECIAL PLANNED IN CONJUNCTION WITH BLACK MONDAY, PLEASE LET US KNOW IN ADVANCE IN REPLY TO THIS EMAIL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

The purpose of dressing in black is to bring awareness to the current attacks on public schools and severe state funding cuts that are largely causing the negotiation difficulties. Employees are encouraged, if asked why they are wearing black, to talk about the importance of public schools and the damage state budget cuts are doing to the education profession.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW:

Black Monday / All Day / Monday, August 18 / District Wide

Negotiations Protest / 4:30 p.m. / Wednesday, September 3 / K.C. Wright Building / 600 Southeast Third Street in Ft. Lauderdale

NOTE: If no agreement is reached before September 3, union leaders have scheduled an informational protest in downtown Fort Lauderdale for 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 3 at the K.C. Wright Administration Building. All members are urged to car pool.

Other more severe job actions such as working to the rule in which employees only perform their contractually required responsibilities are being planned.

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District Negotiators Insult Employees

August 7, 2008 -- Your BTU bargaining team met with the School Board team this afternoon. One week after a closed door session the Board’s bargaining team once again came back to the table with no salary improvement other than the step. Although she shared her regret at being unable to offer anything more, Board negotiator Sue Dumala stated that teachers should be thankful that they had jobs given the lack of new funding. In response to your team’s assertions at the last session that Board figures showed that more than $10 million was available for salary improvements Ms. Dumala stated that those funds had likely been appropriated to address needs elsewhere.

Substituting for BTU Chief Negotiator Dane Ramson, Bargaining Team members Gary Itzkowitz and Ralph Eckhardt questioned Superintendent Notter’s willingness to work with your union to insure at least modest salary improvements for all teachers. Your team called for a review of a variety budgetary areas to uncover revenue sources for raises. As it stands now, the District would leave more than 8500 teachers with a salary improvement of less than $279.

On behalf of Superintendent Notter, Ms. Dumala’s only proposal generates funds for salary improvements by forcing all middle and high school teachers to teach six of seven assigned classes daily in the course of a district mandated seven period student day. According to Dumala, this would generate a savings of $24 million and the District might be willing to part with a portion of these funds for teachers. Your BTU Bargaining Team rejected this proposal.

The next bargaining session is scheduled for next Tuesday, August 12, at 2:00pm at the BTU office.

Please come out to show your support!

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CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS TANK

PROTEST ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED

July 31, 2008 -- After months of negotiations and still no district offer of a pay increase for district employees, union leaders are calling all stewards and members to prepare to take action! While the step increase negotiated last year went into effect on July 1, 2008, district negotiators rejected the BTU’s salary increase proposal and has failed to bring a counter offer of ANY amount to any of the subsequent negotiation sessions.

BTU President Pat Santeramo said it has been over a decade since the district tried to leave the negotiations table with only offering a step increase as the raise for employees. A complete summary of the July 29 Negotiations Session can be read by visiting www.BTUonline.com

President Santeramo calls on ALL stewards and members to target Superintendent Jim Notter and impress on him the critical need all employees have for a fair salary increase. President Santeramo urges ALL stewards and members to take action through the following activities:

DISTRICT WIDE SCHOOL BOARD E-MAIL CAMPAIGN / 8 a.m., Monday, August 11 to 4 p.m., Friday, August 15 / All members will receive Call to Action E-Mails via the CAB E-mail System to participate in this activity. All members, their family and friends are urged to e-mail school board members to put pressure on Superintendent Jim Notter to find the money out of the district’s $5 BILLION budget for employee raises.

ALL STEWARDS & MEMBERS ATTEND NEGOTIATIONS SESSION / 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday, August 12 at the BTU Office (6000 North University Drive in Tamarac) NOTE: As many members are encouraged to arrive by 3 p.m. in order to protest outside the building as possible. The negotiations room needs to be filled with stewards and members!

BLACK MONDAY / 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, August 18 / District wide / All district employees are encouraged to wear black on the first day of school for students. This will send a strong message to all district officials and members of the media who are covering the opening of schools that ALL district employees are NOT happy about working with no pay raise!

PAY PROTEST! / 4:30 to 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 3 / K.C. Wright Building at 600 S.E. Third Avenue in downtown Fort Lauderdale / This event will replace the Steward Council Meeting scheduled for the same time and day. ALL stewards are urged to attend with at least 10 members from their school or worksite.

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When 2+2 Equals 5

July 29, 2008 -- The bargaining session conducted on Tuesday, June 29^th produced more questions, no satisfactory answers and still no district salary increase proposals for members. Since the previously scheduled School Board closed door session was inexplicably cancelled, expectations were particularly low for the Tuesday’s negotiations session.

As a result, the BTU’s negotiations team had the opportunity to test the District’s math skills. Unfortunately, we learned that School Board Chief Negotiator Susan Dumala and her band of highly paid experts might want to do some studying before the next round of FCAT testing.

Neither Dumala nor her team could satisfactorily explain the discrepancy regarding the actual cost of the previously negotiated step increase that took effect July 1, 2008 and the cost the district claimed for the step. Simple computations that even a Broward County fourth grader taking the FCAT could accomplish clearly befuddled the team and their “budget experts.”

As the BTU negotiations team made clear, the actual cost of the step increase for the current school year is 1.82 percent and not the inflated 2.64 percent the Board’s team has been claiming. Based on this and other district data, your team showed where we believe more than $10 million could be made available for employee raises, particularly those on steps providing little or no increase.

In response, Dumala took a 40 minute recess to speak to the budget department to respond to our assertions. Upon returning, she stated that no budget officials were available to answer her questions since they were preparing data for the School Board’s budget meeting scheduled for that night. Hopefully, their “budget experts” did a more careful job in completing that task.

Since the Board also had a closed door meeting scheduled for that same evening, the parties decided to conclude the session. Dumala agreed to respond to the BTU team’s questions at the next meeting scheduled for 1 p.m. on Thursday, August 7 at the BTU Office in Tamarac.

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Union Rejects District Proposals

July 15, 2008 – Negotiators for the Broward Teachers Union and School Board of Broward County met Tuesday with reduced teams for an information exchange and review section.

School Board Chief Negotiator Susan Dumala submitted two proposals:

Article 10 – The district is seeking to have all middle and high schools placed on a traditional seven period day and receiving one uninterrupted planning period daily.

Article 27 – The District wants to eliminate the Virtual School calendar, replacing it with the traditional 196 calendar.

BTU-EP Chief Negotiator Dane Ramson reported that the union’s team summarily rejected both of the district’s proposals. As it pertains to Article 10, union negotiators sought and received noteworthy input and feedback from members that were on a district committee that studied the proposal. The member provided information was extremely valuable and demonstrated the members’ solidarity. Ramson stated the union’s team was very grateful for all information received and shared it with the School Board’s negotiations team.

Dumala said she had not been apprised of previous studies regarding the uniformity of middle and high school schedules. The district’s primary contention that the proposed change would save the district money has proven to be false.

The union’s proposal regarding automatic reinstatement of professional service contracts as outlined in Article 4 and the formalizing of compensatory time, which is described in Article 19, are still being considered by the School Board’s negotiations team.

District negotiators have not made a counter-offer on the union’s salary increase proposal, awaiting a closed door session of the School Board’s members.

The parties have mutually agreed to postpone the upcoming negotiation session, which was scheduled for Tuesday, July 22, as it conflicts with a mandatory principals’ workshop. The next negotiation session will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29 at the BTU office in Tamarac. As with all negotiation sessions, please call the office at 954-486-6250 to confirm that the session is taking place as scheduled.

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District Turns Down Teacher Salary Increase

July 8, 2008 – The BTU-EP (Broward instructional staff) Negotiations Team stood strong during
Tuesday’s contract talks.

During the last negotiations session, the BTU-EP Negotiations Team requested several financial documents, which district negotiators promised to deliver at today's contract talks. As they have done in the past, the district negotiators arrived at the negotiations table empty-handed.

BTU-EP Chief Negotiator Dane Ramson said the requested information was to help the union’s team identify possible “pots” of money during such difficult economic times. The funds could be utilized for the salary increases of instructional staff.

“We are looking to identify administrative waste,” Ramson said. “It is our position that employing task assigned principals is a superfluous waste.”

In response, district negotiators said they did not clearly understand the BTU's initial information request. They promised to provide the data before the next negotiation session.

District negotiators flatly rejected the union’s salary increase proposal above the negotiated step movement that took place effective July 1, 2008.

Union negotiators submitted a proposal that would change contract language in Article 4, which addresses end of the year reassignments being distributed in a timely manner and out of field assignments. While the district negotiators had no questions or initial objections, a tentative agreement was not reached.

District negotiators presented a conceptual proposal regarding the schedule of all high schools. The district negotiators did not share any details concerning the proposal; however, it appears that the School Board wants to mandate a uniform schedule for high schools.

Other contract language proposals will be forthcoming at the next session, which will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15 at the BTU office in Tamarac. Please call the BTU office at 954-486-6250 to confirm before leaving for
the session.

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Union Requests Budget Documents

June 25, 2008 -- The first negotiation session for the BTU-EP Unit consisted of union negotiators proffering a proposal for ground rules. This is the first time in the history of negotiating with the School Board of Broward County that ground rules were agreed upon in one meeting. In past years, the District has taken at least two sessions before agreeing upon something as mechanical as the ground rules.

Additionally, BTU negotiators distributed specific pages of the School Board budget. Union negotiators requested specific information from the board, in order to help formulate a salary package proposal. The information requested included a list of all administrators: names and salaries; a list of all assistant principals: names, school location and salary; a list of all principals on task assignment, their respective assignment, salary and copy of consultant’s contract where applicable.

Most importantly, union negotiators requested a complete copy of the 2008-09 school budget. The District recently complied with the union's request for a copy of the District’s budget by sending us the 2007-08 budget.

The requested budget information will assist union negotiators in finding dollars for salary increases, as opposed to the District balancing the budget solely on the backs of the employees. It is important to note that the District has historically moved at a snail’s pace when complying with requests for information. Hopefully, this practice which could be viewed as a failure to negotiate in good faith, will not carry over into this year’s negotiations.

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Union Schedules First Negotiation Session

June 20, 2008 -- Negotiations between the BTU - Education Professionals and the School Board of Broward County will commence at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24, at the BTU office in Tamarac. The contract re-opener will focus on salaries, regulating employee health insurance and other working condition issues.

Due to the state's current economic crisis and resulting district budget cutbacks, negotiators expect the contract talks to be challenging. With the recent controversy over the superintendent's Heath Insurance Advisory Committee naming one insurance company as the district's sole provider, the need for stronger contract language that regulates such decisions has become even more important.

The goals of the BTU Negotiations Team are as follows:

To negotiate the best salary package during such a difficult economic year.

To develop a collaborative resolution to the health insurance issues.

To finalize negotiations before the start of the school year.

BTU Field Staff Representative Dane Ramson will serve as the Chief Negotiator for the BTU and Director of Employee Relations Susan Dumala will represent the School Board as Chief Negotiator for the district. Following next week's initial session, contract talks will resume at 1 p.m. on Tuesday July 8, 2008 with the intent of concluding negotiations before Friday, August 8, 2008, which is the last workday before most instructional staff return from the summer break.

Additional updates will be posted as information becomes available.

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BTU-TSP CONTRACT NEGOTIATION UPDATES

BTU-TSP Cancel Negotiations!

September 3, 2008 -- On the heels of the negotiations collapse of the BTU-EP contract talks, on Wednesday, BTU President Pat Santeramo stated no further BTU-TSP negotiations with the School Board will take place until district negotiators can come to the table and bargain in good faith. Once the SBBC arrived for negotiations on Wednesday, President Santeramo's message was delivered to the SBBC negotiating team who appeared shocked and surprised by the move. Although the next session is scheduled for 1 p.m. on September 10, the session will likely not occur. Currently, the salary increases for all district employees depend on the district's salary offer for the instructional staff next week. Union leaders ask all district employees to take action by participating in upcoming events.

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BTU-TSP Negotiators Make Salary Proposal

August 20, 2008 -- The BTU-Technical Support Professionals Negotiations Team met with School Board representatives to continue the ongoing contract talks.

BTU-TSP negotiators gave the District a counter proposal on September 6, 2008 in response to the district’s initial proposal. The union rejected the district’s desire to implement a probationary period for all new hires and those employees who accept a new position.

Negotiators for the BTU-TSP then presented the district representatives with their first proposal dealing with compensation. The district negotiators rejected all proposals stating that they don’t have any money and until the superintendent authorizes them to do something, “their hands are tied!”

The next negotiations is set for 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 from at the BTU office in Tamarac.

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Negotiators Exchange Proposals

July 23, 2008 -- Negotiators for the BTU - Technical Support Professionals and the School Board of Broward County began contract talks recently with their first exchange of proposals.

Chief Negotiator Jerrod Neal said, “Surprisingly, school board negotiators arrived prepared for the contract talks and distributed their proposals to everyone in attendance.” District negotiators want to change Article Three “Definitions” and Article Six “Working Conditions”. In both articles, district negotiators want to implement a probationary period for new hires and any employee receiving a promotion to a new position.

Reportedly, one or more School Board members believe, “This will help eliminate bad employees.”

Members of the BTU-TSP negotiating team proposed to open the following contract articles:

Article 11: Compensation (Automatic Re-Opener)

Article 12: Health Insurance (Automatic Re-Opener)

Article 13 : Assignment, Transfer and Promotion