Cairo Association of Teachers CAT TRACKS FOR 9-12-94

CONTRACT “TALKS” HIT NEW LOW!

TALKS SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY NIGHT AT 7 P.M. WERE NOT HELD WHEN THE BOARD’S TEAM FAILED TO SHOW UP!!!

DETAILS: In the CAT Tracks of 8/22/94, I brought you up to date on the “progress” of contract negotiations. I expressed the frustration of your negotiating team concerning delays in providing the Association with financial materials requested in writing on June 29th. I indicated our disappointment on August 6th when the Board Team appeared totally unprepared to discuss matters specifically spelled out in the Contractual Agreement—namely salary, insurance, and extracurricular pay. Finally, I indicated our hope that the two teams could bargain to a successful conclusion at the next meeting—either September 1st or 6th.

The first indication of a problem came the first week of school. I received word that the meeting would not take place on the 1st or the 6th. Instead, how about the 9th, the 12th, or the 13th? Our team selected the earliest date offered—September 9th—even though that was Friday night. Again, it has been our desire all along to settle these matters as quickly as possible.

The second indication of a problem came at approximately 2:15 p.m. on Friday, September 9th. I was called out of my classroom to take a call from the Board’s chief negotiator, Ron Booth. He indicated that he had helped bargain a successful agreement in the Edwardsville strike—taking until 4:30 a.m. to do so. He stated that he had to bargain this weekend in Springfield. Therefore, he would be unable to come to Cairo to bargain on Friday night. At no time did he suggest that the meeting for that night was cancelled. In fact, when I told him that our team was prepared to negotiate all night in an attempt to reach a settlement, he wished us luck.

The final indication that something was seriously wrong came at 7 p.m. when your team of Ruth Bailey, Ledora Beard, Penny Farris, Deborah Hammel, Steve Kohn, and Ron Newell arrived at Garrison to find only Superintendent Bonifield and board member Jay Holder. We inquired as to the whereabouts of the other members of the Board Team and indicated our desire to negotiate as scheduled. Dr. Bonifield made an attempt to contact the other members of their team. We stated that the absence of Ron Booth, their “hired gun”, should not be cause for canceling the meeting—that we never had a professional negotiator. We waited until 9 p.m. in hopes that the other board members would appear. They did not.

Dr. Bonifield then suggested setting another negotiations date. Since we had been “stood up” for our Friday night date, we suggested that the next meeting be on school time. Dr. Bonifield agreed to this. Therefore, the next meeting is scheduled for Friday, September 16, beginning at 8 a.m. This is of course dependent upon the consent of the Board Team—so . . .stay tuned.

FOOTNOTE: The cavalier attitude that the Board of Education is taking towards the Association is very disturbing. It shows contempt and a total lack of respect. Remember: The Cairo Association of Teachers had to file an Unfair Labor Practice against the Board of Education for refusing to bargain in “good faith” concerning the reduction in force this past Spring. Now: The Board of Education does not even bother to show up for a meeting—which they asked to be delayed –on a matter that the Contractual Agreement specifies should have been settle by September 1st.

I do not know what their motivation is for delaying these proceedings—since they have given no explanation. I do know that we resent what appears to be nothing but a stall. We have “gone the extra mile” to reach a settlement. Possibly they feel that the longer we get into the school year, the less likelihood that the Association would call for a work stoppage. I am sure they would deny this, but their actions (nonaction?) and silence lead to such speculation.

If you can find a silver lining to these growing storm clouds, then you are much more optimistic than your bargaining team.