Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter
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CAT Tracks for February 2, 1998
CAT (a.k.a. Groundhog) Sees Shadow . . . |
It was not February 2nd, but it might as well have been!
Bargaining teams for the CAT and the Board of Education met on January 27th
for approximately two and one-half hours. Our side was
VERY
disappointed
that only two members of their team chose to attend the session--Superintendent
Bonifield and Tim Pierce! This was particularly disturbing since THEY
PICKED THE DATE!!!
These negotiations began in May, 1997--over 8 months ago. We had not met
since December 9, 1997. At that meeting they said that
THEY WERE NOT
INTERESTED
in discussing the remaining CAT proposals. They said that
THEY
WERE NOT INTERESTED
in making any movement on their initial monetary
offer. Then on January 27th--
after requesting the session
--half of their team
clearly indicated by
not showing up
that
THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED
. It
continues to appear that the Board is NOT taking these negotiations seriously.
No progress was made during the session--except clarification on what items
had been T.A.'d (tentatively agreed upon) AND THAT THERE WERE STILL
MANY ITEMS ON THE TABLE. BUT--when you don't negotiate for weeks at a
time, "review sessions" become necessary!
Their team continues to take the position that the monetary situation in Cairo
School District Number One is still too "iffy" to provide teachers/employees
with decent pay raises--raises comparable with those given in surrounding
school districts during this past year. The Board maintains this position despite
consistently maintaining a balance of $1,000,000 in the First National Bank of
Cairo and the promise from the State of Illinois of an additional $447,000 for
the 1998-99 School Year and even larger amounts for the 1999-00 and 2000-01
School Years.
Are those last dates scary or what? The next century is definitely upon us!
Surely we will have a contract by then . . .
Any questions/concerns? Bring them with you on Tuesday!
REMINDER
:
CAT MEETING--CHS Cafeteria
Tuesday, February 3, 1998
Immediately After School
PLEASE ATTEND
!