Cairo Association of Teachers CAT TRACKS FOR 9-20-94

RESPONSE TO AN “OPEN LETTER”

The Association bargaining team was blind-sided by Dr. Bonifield’s “open Letter to Cairo School District Employees”. We left Friday’s negotiations session with very positive feelings that a settlement was within reach. Now we read that we have made “unreasonable demands”.

I do not intend to engage in a “mud-slinging” contest with Dr. Bonifield. Relations between the two teams during these negotiations had been good. I do not know what has caused this drastic change of direction and I will not speculate.

A sense of accuracy does dictate that I make a few observations. Dr. Bonifield states that “I cannot let a few employees speak for the whole group and make unreasonable demands”. Your bargaining team met with you after school yesterday and asked for a vote of confidence. Your support was loud and clear—the overwhelming majority authorized us to strike. Only three (3) teachers indicated that they might not support a strike called by the majority of teachers. THANK YOU!

The “unreasonable demands” made by your bargaining team appeared to be accepted as reasonable on Friday afternoon. The Board’s negotiator, Ron Booth, even helped us in structuring the proposal. Mr. Booth consulted with Dr. Bonifield during these “off the record” negotiations. When—and why—did this proposal become unreasonable?

I mentioned that these were “off the record” negotiations. When negotiations appeared to be reaching “impasse”, your bargaining team made an attempt to reach settlement. We used a bargaining technique that had been successful in the past. We made a “one-time offer” to their negotiator. If it is acceptable—fine! We have a settlement. If it is not acceptable—then it is withdrawn and it “never happened”. What appeared acceptable on Friday evening somehow became an “unreasonable demand” on Monday afternoon. What was to have been held in confidence—has become the subject of an “open Letter to Cairo School District Employees”.

This is a violation of confidence—and quite possibly the law concerning closed sessions held by the Board of Education. It destroys all credibility that the Board may have in future negotiations. We trusted the Board Team with what we felt was an offer that would satisfy the concerns of both sides. We “tipped our hand” in order to reach an agreement. This “unreasonable offer” would have saved Cairo School District Number One $75,000 this school year! Our openness has been repaid with an “open letter”.

Dr. Bonifield states that “I do not want a strike!” WE do not know of anyone who does! Both sides, the community, and—most importantly—the students lose in a strike. This is why your team made such an immediate—and drastic—reduction in its proposal.

Cairo School District Number One has been the talk of the tri-state area for too long. It is always embroiled in controversy. Your bargaining team reduced its demands and proposed a two-year agreement on salary, insurance, and extra-duty in an effort to bring much-needed stability to the District.

Your overwhelming vote of support in yesterday’s meeting speaks very loudly as to who is being unreasonable.