Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for December 11, 2001 Finally...A first step forward?

At last night's negotiations session, the CAT (again) objected to the Board's "notification" that it will no longer recognize past practice. The CAT cited the impracticality of identifying and writing language for the various practices of the District not contained in the Contractual Agreement - the simple day-to-day procedures that lend stability to the District. When the Board showed no sympathy for our plight nor any indication that they would withdraw or modify their "notification", the CAT asked that THEY help us by listing the past practices with which they had a problem...we would then write language to address those specific items. The Board immediately rejected that concept. Why? For exactly the same reasons expressed by us! The Board team said that they did not want the job of trying to identify (much less write language for) these practices...too big of a job. WELL, EXCUUUUUSE ME! It was apparent that further discussion would consume the entire two-hour session and so the two parties agreed to table that topic until a later date.

ARTICLE I

The Board did spring a surprise on the CAT last night with an insistence on immediately negotiating Article I - Recognition. The CAT objected - citing that it would be an exercise in hypotheticals. Why waste time (with an entire contract yet to negotiated) trying to finalize exact language on whom the CAT represents when the merger election has yet to happen? The Board had no real answer - simply a repeated insistence that it be negotiated - NOW! The CAT "smelt a rat". The Board's attorney had previously accused the CAT of refusing to negotiate - even though it was the Board that had requested a two-month delay - and EVEN THEN did not have a proposal to exchange! Therefore, the CAT stated that if it was truly the Board's insistence to negotiate Article I tonight - so be it. However, further discussion produced agreement to table Article I...until next time.

ARTICLE II

Finally...The Board made some movement in their counterprosal presented at the table last night. The two teams discussed Sections 2.1 through 2.15, noting areas of agreement and citing continued concerns. At the conclusion of the session, the CAT volunteered to "write up" its understanding of the agreed upon language items and to submit them to the Board by Friday, December 14th, for possible TA - which would be our first after six months! The next negotiations session will be held on December 17th. At that time, the two sides hope to conclude Article II and begin Article III. The Board has promised to have a counter to Article III at that time. (CAT presented its Article III counter - as promised - at the table on December 10th.)

Stay tuned...