The president of the union representing Calvert County Public Schools’ (CCPS) teachers is asking that the negotiating team appointed by the Board of Education (BOE) be ready to discuss salary, cost of living adjustments (COLA) and step increases in early November.
Calvert Education Association (CEA) President Debbie Russ presented her request during the public comment segment of the Calvert BOE’s Sept. 6 meeting. In a written statement submitted to CCPS officials and the press, Russ identified Nov. 5 – 9 as the timeframe for starting the bargaining session on a revised contract. According to the current CEA contract, negotiations would have started between Nov.16 and Dec. 7.
“This proposal is based on the discussion held with the superintendent on Aug. 15 where he indicated that he wanted a negotiated agreement before the presentation of the proposed budget on Jan. 24, 2013,” Russ stated. “We are in total agreement with this protocol and CEA is ready, willing and able to move forward to achieve an agreement that can be ratified by mid-January. We are suggesting that we review and sign off on the ground rules as soon as possible, perhaps this week, and begin the week of Nov. 5 and continue twice weekly until complete. We are also available for a weekend Saturday session to address this most important issue.”
Deputy Superintendent of Schools Robin Welsh, who heads the negotiating team, indicated after the BOE meeting that she was in agreement about starting the negotiations early. However, Welsh also indicated she would have to confer with other negotiating team members to see what dates would work best for the proposed sessions. Welsh said the negotiating team included “people who are running other buildings,” that is, principals and other administrators who do not work at CCPS’ Central Office in Prince Frederick.
“We cannot be sidetracked by the schedule of any one person and the priority must be to reach a ‘decent and reasonable’ salary increase for our membership,” Russ stated. “This also means we expect the board to start at a reasonable point in salary negotiations—not a negative number as in the past.”
Russ’ reference was to an across-the-board pay cut that was proposed early last year when Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jack Smith presented his budget to the BOE and public. Calvert’s school teachers packed the Calvert Middle School cafeteria to protest the proposal, which was subsequently discarded.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
