Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for August 24, 2006 EVERY ELEVEN YEARS

A few of you will get a good chuckle out of this story...as I did. Some of us have "been there, done this"...and have the memories to prove it! The rest of you...well, you missed out on some good times...some good "war stories".

The CAT first heard of the "every 11 years...and extra paycheck" back in the 1980's from Superintendent Ed Armstrong...who was infamous for his "Strongarm" tactics. When negotiations to change the pay system from 26 (every other Friday) to (the current) twice a month didn't go his way, Mr. Ed (aka Special Ed) promptly announced on the first day of school that the District would unilaterally implement the measure. As Mr. Ed said..."We don't feel comfortable paying you for two weeks of work when you've only worked two days."

Well...the only problem with that (well...NOT the only problem, but the MAIN problem) was that many teachers (and you know who you are) had already mailed bills with the anticipation that the money would be in the bank to cover them. (Yeah, we all know that you "can't do that"...but we do!)

Anyway...one particular teacher who shall remain nameless (with the "stature" and "temperament" to back it up) indicated that he hoped that some of his fellow CATs would come up with the necessary funds to bail him out of jail after he was arrested for assault and battery if Mr. Ed followed through on his threat. And...by the look in his eye...you knew he was NOT joking!

Well, back in the day, we didn't have the back-to-school District breakfast. We simply reported to our individual buildings. Mr. Ed would make the rounds to building staff meetings...to welcome everyone back. It just so happened that the high school (when there were separate high school and junior high school buildings - i.e. "the good ol' days) was the first building on the "visiting list". Well...actually it didn't "just so happen". The high school had the hard core negotiating team members...the "lion's den" if you will...and Mr. Ed was not adverse to confronting the CAT in its lair. The meeting grew somewhat heated and our unnamed teacher went from sitting in the back of the cafeteria...to standing and pacing...to sitting in the front row...making his point that his checks had been mailed and that he needed his scheduled money.

Well...Mr. Ed maintained his public posture...our unnamed teacher maintained control (to the disappointment of several who had already agreed to raise bail AND testify in his behalf)...and the meeting ended. Elvis then left the building...only to call the high school office immediately upon arriving at Emerson Elementary for their meeting. Mr. Ed inquired as to how soon the CAT could get its negotiating team assembled to discuss the pay situation. CAT's answer..."We're on our way!"

The happy ending...we got paid the next day and the "checks in the mail" did not bounce. (It was a couple of years later that we finally relented...during proper negotiations...and went to 24 pay periods. Never did get one of those 11th-year extra checks...DARN!)

Okay...that was my trip down memory lane for today. Below is the story from the Philadelphia Inquirer that prompted it...

The Phila. district wants to alter its accounting method. Union leaders say it amounts to a pay cut.

By Martha Woodall
Inquirer Staff Writer

The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers filed suit yesterday to try to prevent the school district from changing the way it pays teachers during the 2006-07 school year.

The lawsuit, filed in Common Pleas Court, alleges that the district's plan to impose a new payroll schedule violates the teachers' contract and the state School Code and would result in cutting teachers' annual pay by nearly 4 percent.

The union says that instead of paying union members in 26 equal installments over 12 months, as has been the practice for years, the district wants to make 27 payments and spread them out over 12 months plus one week.

The district countered by issuing a statement denying that the accounting change would cut the salaries of teachers and staff. District officials insisted union members would receive their full salary but it would be spread out among 27 checks instead of 26.

The teachers are paid every two weeks. The district said the calendar produces 27 pay periods every 11 years.

"The School District of Philadelphia strongly disagrees with the allegations raised in the suit by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers," Fernando Gallard, a district spokesman, said in the statement. "The district is committed to paying every PFT member their annual salary in full within a 12-month period every other Friday as pursuant to the contract. Not a single one of the 18,000 PFT members will see a reduction to their annual pay."

Gallard called the allegations in the union complaint "completely untrue" and said the district would fight the lawsuit.

"The district may have miscalculated its budget, but they cannot shift the problem to the teachers and educational support staff," Jerry T. Jordan, union vice president, said yesterday.

The lawsuit asks the judge to issue an immediate order requiring the district to pay teachers and other union members according to the terms of the 2004-08 contract.

Deborah Willig, an attorney representing the teachers' union, said the union would ask the court today or tomorrow for a temporary restraining order to prevent the district from implementing the change.

Jordan said the union filed suit after talks with the district last week and Monday failed to produce an agreement.

He said the district's proposed accounting change would reduce some members' pay by as much as $130 each pay period during the coming school year.

"It is patently unfair to the members of the federation to impose a 3.8 percent reduction in take-home salary," Jordan said. "With no notice, the district just wants to implement this two weeks before the start of the school year? It's just unacceptable."

The union said the district and the union reached an agreement in 1999 that spelled out the 26-payment plan.

Ted Kirsch, president of the teachers' union, said the district had no authority "to unilaterally impose pay cuts on our members."

The suit is the first the teachers' union has filed against the district since Paul Vallas became the district chief executive in July 2002.