Arizona State Superintendent of Instruction John Huppenthal recently ruled that an investigation that he commissioned was flawed, and that the Tucson Unified School District’s Mexican-American studies program was out of compliance with state education laws.
His enigmatic decision is not the subject of this piece. In the furor surrounding what I saw as a forgone conclusion, a serious issue with enormous ramifications for our community went virtually unnoticed: the suspension of negotiations and the imposition of contracts on two of the four bargaining units in TUSD.
At the risk of chasing away potential readers, let me start by saying: I am a teacher, and I have been one for nearly 30 of my 60 years on Earth, so please allow me some pedantic moments.
TUSD has a long-standing tradition of collective bargaining. Negotiations followed a common procedure as each contract expired: Initially, teams were chosen by each participant, and opening proposals were developed. The two sides met, exchanged proposals, and discussed them until an agreement was reached. Signing off on agreed-upon proposals ensured that they would be taken to the membership of the association with a recommendation for acceptance. It also ensured that the administration would respond to them in a responsible manner. Finally, the membership of the Tucson Education Association (TEA), thousands of employees of TUSD, voted to ratify the agreement or to reject it.
By abrogating the current contract talks, Dr. John Pedicone and TUSD have not only bypassed two of the three steps in the process; they have re-established our relationship as US and THEM. Having been on four negotiation teams in 21 years with this district, I can say that on all of them, we worked diligently to move from the acrimonious style of traditional adversarial negotiations toward the more-effective style of interest-based bargaining. In one act by the TUSD governing board, all efforts in that direction have been nullified. Instead of working together to find solutions that are in the best interests of all concerned, TUSD has unilaterally imposed solutions created only by their administration, without concern for what their employees want to contribute to the process.
Then there is the matter of money. The district proposal offered a 3 percent increase in salary. Of the four bargaining units, two—representing principals and administrative professionals—were willing to sign off on a contract that included a 3 percent increase. The other two units, AFSCME (representing blue-collar workers) and the TEA (representing teachers and white-collar workers), were still negotiating.
Why? Simply stated, it is a matter of finance. The two groups that settled will see a slight increase in their salary, something that’s welcome after three years of losing money.
The other two groups have more problematic decisions. Included in the consideration for the TEA is the fact that increases in retirement-system and health-insurance contributions will impact the increase. Most teachers will see the 3 percent raise as a wash; they will make about the same as last year. New teachers will lose a few dollars per paycheck. The real impact for the TEA—because we bargain for white-collar and food-service groups, too—will fall on the lowest-paid individuals. They will see a significant decrease in their take-home pay. This is one reason negotiations were continued.
Then there is the question of money. No, I am not stuttering.
Public schools are funded based on enrollment. For years, we have been told, “There is no money; don’t even discuss money.” Yet now there is money? Where did it come from? The board has already committed to sponsor full-day kindergarten again. This is a great thing, but represents a considerable investment, about $4 million for a district that has lost enrollment for the last several years.
For me, the money is a moot point. My issues are more about the greater long-term damage that has been done. Years of joint negotiations have been thrown aside, and a trust has been broken. When we next sit down to discuss the future of TUSD, we will do so as adversaries; there will be an air of suspicion and distrust.
Letters from Dr. Pedicone will not repair this rift. I believe that the days of joint involvement in decision-making processes toward a common goal are gone.
This article appears in Jun 30 – Jul 6, 2011.
“Instead of working together to find solutions that are in the best interests of all concerned, TUSD has unilaterally imposed solutions created only by their administration, without concern for what their employees want to contribute to the process.”
When has this ever been different? As a teacher with TUSD for 3 of my 4 years in education, I was laid off every summer. No membership in TEA would’ve saved my job, all decisions about my future with the district were made for me, and others like me. Even the principal, who recommended retaining me, was unable to save many jobs at our merging school. I decided to walk away.
The last Superintendent walked away, and was looked upon as a coward for leaving a “sinking ship.” In her time with the district, some really positive things began to happen, despite the need to merge schools. She communicated nearly every move of the administration with the teachers and the blue-collar employees. But she realized how toxic the environment was in this state and within the district board, and she made a run for it. Who can blame her?
I really had high hopes for Dr. Pedicone, despite my decision to leave the district a year ago. I have many friends and colleagues still hanging in there, and I truly believed there was some chance that positive change would return to TUSD. Now it appears that our new Superintendent is of the old guard. If things keep going the way they are now, we will be flung back in time to the 70’s, when there were teacher strikes a-plenty, and education in turmoil. It may already be too late.
Despite all of this…I still believe in teaching. Those in higher places believe we have no voice, because we are desperate to keep our jobs, and so they do what they do with impunity. But I will teach, even in this state. Charter school, one room school house, backyard, doesn’t matter. Everyone keeps forgetting what really matters: the children.
To get the real financial picture, please, unions, put dollars and cents figures on your analyses and requests. A 3 percent increase in salary? From what to what? If in fact your salaries are substantially above the incomes of the taxpayers who are paying them, is it possible that might be a consideration? Not long ago, the whine about under-paid teachers was sold to the public. Even now, if you ask the man on the street how much he thinks teachers are paid he will likely say, “About 30,000” … certainly off by 50 percent and much more in many cases.
Why unions, particularly unions who do not have to work for an organization that generates funds, feel that somehow they are specially privileged is just plain unfair. The fact that the organization that they work for – government – cannot go bankrupt does not give them the right to demand these excesses.
One suggestion: it seems clear that lengthening the school year would be a major step in improving public education. Annual teacher salaries are already adequate to supply a standard of living above the average. Teachers should accept willingly a school year of at least 200 days, perhaps even 220 without demanding salary increases. Join the rest of us.
To get specific, if a teacher is making 20 percent more than the average private worker in Tucson, that’s enough; no raise needed. That would probably free up the money to take care of the lower level employees needs.
There is no rational reason the unions should not replace their greed for continual raises all around with a recognition that many of them are well paid now.
We all know 3% of $20,000 annual salary is not the same as salaries at $60,000, $70,000 and up. I know we all pay the same prices say at 17th Street Market or Safeway.
I’m not sure how the superintendent’s compensation is calculated, but I am sure that a superintendent must represent all employees.
My children received an outstanding education K-12 at TUSD and on to Masters at UA and USC.
Living in Colorado, and I can attest in many other states that teachers (tenured only) are the most overpaid public worker that ever walked the earth. They are ahead of State and Local government workers (which are grossly overpaid also) and most of the private sector. For someone that works 195-200 days a year, gets obscene vacation days, “planning days” that ALWAYS fall on a Friday or a Monday, get automatic raises, benefit adjustments, etc. it is a shame. I have teacher clients that teach kindergarden,1st 2nd or 3rd grade (basically taxpayer funded DAYCARE, are tenured, work no more than 6 hours a day (Colorado State Law) and again, 1/2 yr of actual appearance making $65-75K a year. Now, the teachers say that they have to take work home with them during the week (grading tests, essays, etc) SO WHAT….most of the private sector does this also just to keep their jobs….
Suck it up teachers, the gravy train of public service is coming to a stop…the public taxpayer cannot afford it any more!!
In this town people who work in schools do so for the love of teaching our youth… not for the love of economic benefit. A person who answers the phone for the city of Tucson makes more money than most people in education. TUSD and other school districts in this valley are low wage payers. Servers at a good restaurant take home more money than school staff. The beginning wage, last I looked, was $8.80 an hour for classified staff… so many must work second and even third jobs. At $8.80 hr, times 30 or 35 hours week for half a year equals poverty. Certified staff make more – but many also must have second jobs inorder to survive. We are a community that does not value education.