Catholic Teachers’Union
Record
Newsletter of the Catholic Teachers’ Union Vol. 19 No. 6 July 2009
Negotiations
ThesixthnegotiationsessionwiththeSchools washeldTuesdayJuly7. At the conclusion of that session both teams decided not to schedule any furthermeetingsuntilTuesdayAugust25. The diocesannegotiatorinformedtheunionteam that he neededto consult with diocesan officials concerning the issues that still remain and the position to be taken bythe Schools regarding them. Before the next scheduled session CTU will solicit information about the possibilityof separatingbargaining unit members from the rest of the diocesanemployees forhealthinsurance. As the negotiations progressed, CTU and the Schools reached tentative agreementonafewissues:anincreaseingraduatetuitionreimbursement; payment of 403(b)contributions atthe beginningof ateacher's second year, ratherthan the beginningofthe fourthyear [current practice]; an increase of prescription co-pays in line with the new diocesan rates; language clarifying the status of diocesan special education teachers; and,countinggraduation/baccalaureateasonedutyifthey'reheldonthe same day, while reducing the total number of duties from 8 to 7.
cont'd on p. 2
Prescription Coverages
Co-pays for prescriptions under the CTU contract are in effect through August 31, 2009. The rest of the diocesan covered employees saw an increase on July 1. Even though an agreement was reached during negotiations to increase the co-pays, the increase does not go into effect until a new contract is ratified by CTU members. Some embers who used the prescription service after July 1 were charged the higher copays. CTU immediately notified the diocesan benefits coordinator of the problem. She contacted ExpressScripts and the problem has been resolved. Members may return to the pharmacy to receive a refund of the overpayment. Any members who have been or are charged at the higher co-pays, contact the CTU office. The co-pays in effect until a new contract is ratified are: $8 generic, $20 formulary, and, $35 non-formulary. After a new contract goes into effect the co-pays will be: $10 generic, $25 formulary, and, $50 nonformulary. ctunj@comcast.net
NJ Budget
NJ Catholicschools lost keytechnologyfundinginthe state's fiscal year 2010 budget. Sincetheinceptionofthestate'snon-publicschooltechnologyinitiative twelve years ago schools have received $40 per pupil each year to fund thepurchase of computer hardware and software, licenses for programs, and other technologyrelated expenses Thefunds havebeenanimportant elementintheschools'implementation ofindividualtechnologyplans. Dr. George Corwell, Director of Education Programs for the NJ Catholic Conference, ina July8 communicationwithCTUexpressed his gratitudeto unionmembers whocontacted statelegislators through email,phonecalls,andmeetings.
cont'd on p. 3
www.ctunj.com
CTU Record
July 2009
Page 2
Negotiations
from p. 1
from the Editor:
Negotiation Issues
ISSUE #1: Labor costs have been a relatively small percentage of tuition increases during the years covered by the most recent contract. Tuition has increased an average of 6.9% per year over the past four years. Actual salary costs have increased an average of 2.59% for each of those four years. During the past four years, the step increase was at an annual rateof 2.6%and inflationaveraged 3.33% per year. Any salary move less than 2.6% for the 2009-2010 school year is a pay cut for teachers. ISSUE #2: The proposed diocesan two-tiered medical benefits plan would divide faculties. A number ofemployers haveimplemented two-tiered benefit programs foremployees. The keydifference between the diocesan proposal and other plans is the permanent nature of the lower tier for new teachers. Inother two-tieredsystems, newlyhired employees have the abilityto move up to the higher tier based onlengthofemployment. The diocesan proposal would create a class of employees whowill always participate in a weaker benefitplanthanother teachers in thesame building. Over time, presumably,the number of teachers receivingthestrongerbenefit planwould decrease as theyretire from the schools. If the two-tiered system does eventuallysavethe school healthbenefitdollars, it will havewreaked havoc withfacultysolidarityandmorale. CTUstronglymaintains itsadvocacyforthe fair treatment ofall teachers inthe bargainingunit and salaryincreasesconsistent withthetuition-based financingoftheschools. Now is not the time for the union members to abandon basicprinciplesof fairnessinsalaryand benefits. Indeed, no time is appropriate for a union to do so.
At the conclusion of the sixth session there were four issues unresolved: the schools' proposal to limit total absence includingsick time,disabilityleave and extended leave to 12 months; salary; the twotiered benefits proposal; and, the length of the contract. CTU has been proposing a contract for one year in orderto addressteacher andschool administrators concerns about the state of the national economy and its effects on enrollment at the schools. The union's position is that the impact of the current economyshould be evident duringthe upcoming schoolyearandthatimpactwillclarifythefinancial circumstancesattheschoolsduringthenextschool year. Thediocesehasproposedatwoyearcontract, focusingonstabilityofmedical insurancecostsfor that timeperiod. Attheendofthesixthnegotiationsessiontheunionwas stillproposingasalaryincreaseofthestepincrement plus3%. Theschoolswereproposingaflatincrease of 1.85% on the average salary [approximately $805 per teacher for the 2009-2010 school year] without a step increase. Duringthecourseofnegotiations,thediocesewithdrew its proposals to implement a two-tiered system distinguishingbetweenteacherscurrentlyemployed and teachers hired to begin after September 1, 2009in theaccumulationandbuybackofsickdays atretirement. Negotiation updates were emailed and posted on the unionwebsitefollowingeachsession. Any developments during the next several weeks concerning negotiations will be posted on the members onlyareaof ctunj.com. Anymembershavingdifficultyaccessingthemembers onlypagesareaskedtoemailtheunioncoordinator at ctunj@comcast.net.
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CTU Record
July 2009
Page 3
Delegate Election Procedure
At its Julymeeting, the Executive Board adopted a procedure fortheelectionofbuildingdelegates. In the twenty-five year historyof CTU there were no contesteddelegateelections. Members at each buildingmet informallyto pickthose who wished to serve as union delegates. At the close of the 2008-2009 school year, there was a problem with delegateselection at one school. Board members acknowledgedandaccepted responsibility for the problem, since the Board had not addressed the delegateelection procedure. Consequently, the Executive Board has now put intoplace the followingprocedure. 1. Public notice of delegate elections will be made at the same time as notice forExecutive Boardpositions, i.e. before June 30 of odd-numbered years. 2.Submissionofnominations fordelegatepositionswill be made to the CTUNomination/ElectionOfficeronthe samescheduleas ExecutiveBoardnominations. 3. Delegate elections will takeplace afterthe Executive Board election, but no later than 10 school days after thatelection.
2009-2011 Executive Board
The results of the Election held at the 2009 General Membership Meeting: President: BillBlumenstein(PVI) Executive Vice President: ChrisEhrmann(CCHS) Area Vice Presidents: KevinGallagher(PVI) LandaMathis(HolySpirit) TerrySachson (CCHS) Treasurer: Wayne Nystrom (CCHS) Executive Secretary: MaureenSimzak(PVI)
State Budget
from p. 1
Summer Contact Information
If your phone number or other contact information during the summer will be different than the information on file with the union, please give your summer contact information to your delegate before the end of the school year.
ctunj@comcast.net
Althoughthetechnologyfundingisgonefromnext year's budget, provisions were made to protect anyhardware, software, etc. that has alreadybeen purchased and is operational in the schools. He also asked teachers to remember theirlocal legislator's vote whentheyareup for reelection. The push bynon-publicschool representatives and interested parties did restore budget provisions forbusingassistance to parentsup tothirtymiles in ruralcounties, affecting some schools in the Camden Diocese.
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CTU Record
July 2009
Page 4
Contract Information Meeting
In allbut twoprevious negotiations [1987 & 1990], CTU members met on the day after Labor Day to consider/ratify/rejectthe "best and final" offer proposedbythe diocese. Thereis aschedulingissuethis year forsuch a meeting sincethree of thehighschools willbeginbefore Labor Day and one after. CTU negotiators madethe diocesan negotiator aware of the issue and he stated he would address the issue with the members of the Schools' team. Themeetingto discuss the status of negotiations andanyproposed settlement is tentatively set for
Annual General Membership Meeting
The annual General Membership Meeting was held June 11, 2009 at the TapRoom in Haddon Twp. EightyCTU members were in attendance. Members heard the annual Treasurer's Report [copies given to delegates for members to examine if theyso desire], Reports of Schools, Executive Board election, and the President's Report, focusingon the status of negotiations. Oneissue ofnote is the process for dealingwith jurydutysummons duringthe school year. During the past year several teachers served on juries during school time. The contract allows onlyone paid dayfor juryduty, a day in which teachers mayappear in court, if necessary, to request a deferment of dutyuntil the summer. In the past, teachers who have requested defermentsuntil thesummermonths sent theirrequest,alongwith a request from the school principal to the jurycoordinator. Such deferments haveusuallybeengiven andteachers servedduring the summer. The forms for deferment requests arenow availablefrom school delegates andprincipals; andwill beavailable soonon themembers only sectionof theunionwebsite.
Tuesday September 8 at the Washington Twp. Ambulance Hall.
As the details for the time of the meetingaresolidifiedtheywillbe emailed to members and posted on theunion website.
Delegates' Summer Meeting
Thedelegates'annual summermeetingwill takeplaceMonday August 24. Please contact your delegate with anyideas, issues, information youwould likethe Board& delegates to discuss.
CTU RECORD is a publication of the Catholic Teachers Union. Direct comments and inquiries to: Chris Ehrmann, Editor, 8 N. Barrett Ave., Audubon, NJ 08106 * ctunj@comcast.net * www.ctunj.com.
Catholic Teachers Union
8 N. Barrett Ave. Audubon, NJ 08106