Bargaining Update!
Your JCEA bargaining team came to the table last night to negotiate your JCEA contract. The force was strong last night as educators filled the room for compensation, leaves, and special education negotiations.
These are the proposals that were passed at the table (as a reminder, JCEA proposes language written in blue, District management proposes language in red, and when we reach agreement, it is highlighted in yellow):
JCEA Compensation Proposal and Article 17
Our presentation highlighted Jeffco’s trend in investing their funds outside the classroom. A budget is a statement of values, and it seems like the district values administrators over our students. We also emphasized the need for competitive compensation for our educators, and that any proposal that freezes educators’ pay in the event a mill levy override doesn’t pass, gets us further away from this goal. Later in the evening, the District gave a financial presentation aimed at addressing “misinformation,” though what that misinformation was remains unclear to us, since our presentation focused mostly on District spending, and the District largely focused on revenue.
ICYMI – our compensation proposal:
- Step and lane movement
- 2.5 % COLA
- Increase from 2% to 3% between Lane 5 and 6 on salary schedule
District management will be giving a compensation counter-proposal at our next bargaining session, so please take 2 minutes to use our letter campaign to write the school board before our next bargaining session!
The District returned this article and we were able to reach some agreement regarding the role of the special education teacher on the MTSS team and ensuring there is a clear “Chain of Command” for behavioral crises. That said, District management did not agree to our proposed language regarding protected uninterrupted special education planning time, and para coverage for Center Programs.
JCEA passed our counter-proposal, again asking for short term leave payouts and reimbursement for unused general leave after twenty years of service. Our counter-proposal moves away from a District wide opt-in to the Colorado FAMLI benefit program, but does provide people an avenue to choose to opt into the program in lieu of the District provided short-term disability program. It also allows people who are on a long term leave the choice to use their own accrued leave instead of being forced into any short-term benefit program.
What can YOU do?
- Show up! With only TWO sessions left we need as many people as possible in the room! Commit to being at bargaining May 13, 4:30 pm or May 19, 4:30pm.
- Make your voice heard by writing to the members of our school board regarding their compensation proposal.
You can find a list of all bargaining events and the status of all the items on the negotiations table on our bargaining action page.
Make sure you wear BLUE for BARGAINING every Thursday! We want to see you stand together – take photos and post them to social media with #JCEAunited.