Let's Bargain', Arkens Tells Clintonville School Board

Statement to the School Board
by Clintonville Education Association
President Bob Arkens
September 9, 2002

The Clintonville Education Association believes that we have not, according to the definition in the state statutes, had a Qualified Economic Offer (QEO) imposed upon us. Therefore, we would like to continue bargaining. We understand bargaining to be the coming together of divergent viewpoints. And in that spirit of getting to a voluntary settlement, our Association members have directed us to alter our proposal and continue to be prepared to meet with you. Dave Campshure, our representative, will be presenting it to Barry Forbes, the District's negotiating representative, to pass on to the School Board's bargaining team.

I feel compelled to note that teachers in the Clintonville Public Schools have not had a cost of living wage increase since the 1994-95 school year. If the board chooses to pursue a Qualified Economic Offer, Clintonville teachers will be nearly 8% behind what they made in 1994, in equivalent dollars. This tremendous wage loss is nearly impossible to make up, and such a loss in real wages is hurting our district's ability to attract and maintain its tradition of a quality, long-term staff.

In the past four years approximately 55 teachers have, for various reasons, left Clintonville. Many of those were teachers we trained for one to three years. Then they moved on as experienced staff to other districts to teach other people's children. In addition, we have had a number of veteran staff leave us as well. Most who leave and have remained in teaching have found salaries in their new district far superior to what they had in Clintonville. This is a tragic loss to the students we teach.

Contrary to what some people may think, in this case, giving teachers a cost of living salary increase does not raise taxes. When the district reports teacher salary increases, it uses current teachers and puts that figure in the budget. Then some teachers retire or move on. But the salary figures of these missing experienced teachers, phantom teachers if you will, are kept in the budget. Lower salaried teachers replace them. This means that the teaching staff in Clintonville has often returned to work in the fall making an average salary, as a whole, (and costing the district) less than the previous year. The savings, the difference between what was originally budgeted for teacher salaries and what was finally spent on teacher salaries, looks like it goes straight into the district's savings account, Fund 10. In this manner, since 1994, no less than $800,000 originally budgeted to pay teachers has instead been deposited in Fund 10 or utilized elsewhere. I do not mean to be cynical in this statement, but it seems more than coincidental that as the teachers' inflation adjusted salaries have steadily decreased, the Fund 10 balance has steadily increased. As an example, the fund balance is now at $3.1 million, up almost a quarter million dollars from last year.

The 3.1 million dollars in the fund represents 22% of this year's anticipated expenditures. The state average is 17%. We understand that a district needs a healthy Fund 10 balance to have on hand for emergencies and in order to get good bond ratings. We also understand that many of these monies have been designated for various projects, which may necessitate utilizing those accruing funds. But we need to know that the district understands that the teachers, the backbone of any school, have not had a cost of living wage increase since 1994.

We believe there is wisdom in utilizing some of our funds to provide for a settlement which both the CEA and the District could see as one that provides a fair increase to those that teach Clintonville's children. We are asking for a mutual goal to provide veteran staff, a staff that has developed loyalties to these families and have chosen to remain in this district, a wage increase at least equal to inflation - just to keep up with the salary that took 16 years of experience to acquire. The quality staff who have made a commitment to this district should not be penalized for deciding to make this area their career home. And for the new teachers going through a long salary schedule? - wondering if spending $10,000 on a college masters degree is going to pay off? They, too, should be shown that there is a fair salary which they can someday reach, so that they'll keep their eyes on this district rather than elsewhere.

We believe that our new proposal demonstrates our commitment toward contract resolution. It will by no means catch us up to what we had in 1994. It will, however, be a step in the direction of showing your staff that their profession here has value. It will also be a step in attracting, training, and maintaining a young staff that won't be tempted to look elsewhere.

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Posted September 11, 2002