6/21/2004

CONTRACT UPDATE

Readers of the June 17 AIM know that storm clouds were brewing last week at negotiations. On June 18 the skies opened up and the rain began to fall.

The State's Chief Negotiator, Rebecca Caudle, said that the current protections against timekeeping in our contract must be weakened or there would be no contract settlement. She stated that failing to meet her need on this article was a "deal breaker". When the union challenged the State's position she was unable to articulate the need for any change at all. The only explanation offered was couched in vague hyperbole that 12.17 “protects time abusers.”

The lack of supporting documentation of the State's position came as no surprise to your Union representatives. It is a matter of fact that over the past year, 25% of all Notices of Discipline issued against PEF members contained charges related to time and attendance, hardly evidence that the state is having a problem pursuing charges of time abuse. Setting aside the specifics of 12.17, the other two unions who've already settled agreed to no concessions outside of the health insurance arena. When confronted with the facts, Caudle responded by ending Friday's session early.

The State has agreed to one day of main table negotiations this week and another day is scheduled for the Schools for the Deaf and Blind. This negotiations schedule is unacceptable! It is time the State stopped taking hard ball positions and began meeting 24/7!

We have been working on an action plan in anticipation of the “deal breaker” position taken by the state. Their latest actions convince us that it is time to put that plan into action. As an activist, you know better than anyone that action away from the negotiations table is sometimes necessary to achieve victory at the table. It is comforting to know that you will respond to our call to action and stand with us in the fight to achieve a fair and just contract.

In the next week, PEF will move to full mobilization against the Governor and his Office of Employee Relations. Unfortunately, after 17 months it has become clear that the Governor’s negotiators intend to extract concessions from PEF that we will not accept. Dust off your rally shoes!

Thank you.