CAT Tracks for July 22, 2002 MOLEHILLS INTO MOUNTAINS

For some reason, the Superintendent, Barney, and the Board have been making a BIG deal about the CAT not negotiating on July 10th. I promised further documentation...

June 19, 2002

Robert J. Isom, Superintendent
Cairo School District Number One
303-34th Street
Cairo, IL 62914

Dr. Isom:

The Cairo Association of Teachers' bargaining team is presently putting together a contract proposal for consideration by the Board of Education. Currently, the Board has no proposal on the table and the Association has a proposal for the arbitration of a one-year agreement, which includes the makeup of all 17 days missed due to the strike. The Association expects to conclude its proposal this week.

Therefore, the Association proposes that the parties resume negotiations on Tuesday afternoon/evening, June 25, 2002. The exact time would be at the Board's discretion with notice to the Association.

If this meets with your approval, please let us know.

Sincerely,

Ron Newell, President
Cairo Association of Teachers

cc: Jim Tammen, IEA UniServ Director

June 24, 2002
Faxed at 6 a.m.

Robert J. Isom, Superintendent
Cairo School District Number One
303-34th Street
Cairo, IL 62914

Dr. Isom:

At 4:35 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19, 2002, I faxed a letter to you suggesting a possible negotiations date. (See attached.) This was done (intentionally) prior to the June 20th Board meeting so that you would have opportunity to consult with the other Board team members. It is now the day before the date proposed by the Association, and we have not received either a positive or negative response.

Question: Is the June 25th date proposed by the Association acceptable to the Board team?

Sincerely,

Ron Newell, President
Cairo Association of Teachers

cc: Jim Tammen, IEA UniServ Director

June 24, 2002
Faxed at 10:15 a.m.

Robert J. Isom, Superintendent
Cairo School District Number One
303-34th Street
Cairo, IL 62914

Dr. Isom:

I talked to Steve Kohn at 9:45 a.m. today. He informed me that you told him on Friday that there would be no negotiations this week…that you had to be out of town.

As you know, Steve has to be out of town after this week for a two-week period. I will be out of town during the same time period in order to attend the National Education Association's Representative Assembly in Dallas, TX.

Therefore, I propose that the Association hand-deliver a contract proposal this week to the District Central Office for review by the Board team. This will allow the Board team to prepare a counterproposal to same. The parties could then schedule a negotiations session during the two-week period beginning July 15th. The Association is aware that the Board has a legal proceeding scheduled for a portion of one of these weeks, but hopefully at least one day can be set aside for negotiations.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Ron Newell, President
Cairo Association of Teachers

cc: Jim Tammen, IEA UniServ Director

DISCLAIMER: Before Barney cries foul...I scanned the following letter and the headings caused me problems. Since it was addresses and phone numbers, I didn't think Barney would mind if I left them off.

The first two lines are the headings on the fax received...they show that Barney (or his office) faxed this letter to CSD #1 at 9:04 a.m. (evidently in response to my first letter of June 24th which was faxed at 6 a.m.) and CSD #1 faxed it to me at 10:38 a.m. (AFTER my second letter of June 24th which was faxed at 10:15 a.m.) I did receive a "snail mail" version of the letter on the afternoon of June 24th. Here is the letter...

08/24/2002 - MON - 10:38 - FAX - 818-734-4047 - CAIRO SCHOOL DIS
06/24/2002 - MON - 09:04 - FAX - 618-343-3548 - ROBBINS SCHWARTZ

June 21,2002

Mr. Ron Newell
President
Cairo Association of Teachers, IEA/NEA
513-29th Street
Cairo, Illinois 62914

Re: Collective Bargaining Negotiations

Dear Newell:

I am in receipt of your letter, dated June 19, 2002, requesting that the parties resume negotiations on June 25, 2002.

Due to scheduling conflicts, the Board's negotiation's team will not be available to meet with the Association until July 10, 2002 at 1:00 p.m. Please advise if this date/time is acceptable to the Association. As an alternative, the Association may, if it chooses, submit its proposal to the Board via mail and/or facsimile transmission. The Board's team could then consider the Association's proposal and submit a response to said proposal on July 10, 2002.

Finally, as a matter of clarification, the Board was the last party to submit a proposal on May 23, 2002, which effectively rejected the Association's alternative proposals A and B. The Association rejected the Board's May 23, 2002, proposal and, as of this date, has not responded with a counter proposal. Accordingly, we are pleased to learn that the Association is moving forward to place a proposal on the bargaining table.

Please contact me if you have any questions concerning this matter. Also, please direct all further correspondence concerning bargaining dates and proposals to my attention at the Collinsville address above.

Very truly yours,

ROBBINS, SCHWARTZ, NICHOLAS, LIFTON & TAYLOR. LTD,

By:
Barney R. Mundorf

BRM:gbc
cc: Dr. Robert Isom, Superintendent

June 25, 2002

VIA FAX

Joe E. Griggs, Board President
Cairo School District Number One

Robert J. Isom, Superintendent
Cairo School District Number One

Barney Mundorf, Board Attorney
Cairo School District Number One

Dear Joe, Dr. Isom, and Barney:

The Cairo Association of Teachers hereby withdraws all previous proposals. Attached herewith is the Association's four-year counter to the Board's four-year proposal of May 23, 2002.

By letter dated June 24, 2002, the Association has already proposed the selection of a mutually agreeable date during the latter half of July for face-to-face negotiations. The Association would urge the Board team to make a counterproposal prior to that date so that the session can be productive, rather that the nine minutes and twelve minutes which characterized the previous two sessions.

The Association awaits your response.

Sincerely,

Ron Newell, President
Cairo Association of Teachers

Enclosures

Since the June 25th cover letter and contract proposal, there has been a flurry of e-mails from Dr. Isom and Barney...and now the press release by the Board (aka Barney...hey, got to do something to earn those BIG BUCKS) trying to make a big deal out of the CAT not accepting July 10th...when...I repeat...they had already "rejected" June 25th.

They really, really need to get off the PR posturing and get serious about dealing with their certified employees. Cairo School District Number One has bigger and better things to focus on...like EDUCATION!