Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for January 14, 2009 NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE

Not what we had hoped for, but a beginning...

Your CAT team tried to "jump start" the process by drawing up a list of the items "still on the table"...most of which were "in the BOE's court", so to speak.

However, instead of having counter-proposals ready to present, the BOE team used the first two-and-one-half hours to write and/or finalize their proposals, which were then delivered by the BOE's attorney for our consideration/reaction.

Well, what can we say?

We spent the next 90 minutes exploring the BOE's proposals with their attorney.

The "good news" is that the BOE team did, finally, put a money proposal on the table. The "bad news" is that the money was not close to the CAT's money proposal.

This is "normal" in the "negotiations game", but, after 2005, we had frankly been spoiled. In 2005, Superintendent Sam Harbin had presented CAT with what he termed a no-nonsense offer, explaining that he did not like the "normal process"...high-balling and low-balling...that he wanted to simply present what he felt was a fair raise that was fiscally responsible. CAT accepted that offer...without any effort to quibble.

Three years later, Cairo School District Number One is better off financially than it was in 2005. According to the latest District Treasurer's Report, CSD #1 has approximately $2.7 million in the First National Bank of Cairo. Back in 2005, the balance was about $150,000 less. In addition, the District has since paid off some of its long-term debt and half of the loan that it received from ISBE. (CAT Tracks will print copies of the District Treasurer's Reports in the next couple of days for your perusal.)

So...

The CAT team was disappointed tonight...but will NOT panic. Again, maybe tonight is an indication that we are returning to the (bad) old days of starting high, starting low, and arriving somewhere in the middle.

The only thing that makes this (old) CAT nervous is that the track record of this approach has not been good in Cairo School District Number One. It is this approach that led to the 17-day shutdown of the District in 2002...that led to the takeover of the District by the Financial Oversight Panel.

This is a history that we do NOT need to revisit.

Your CAT team will review the BOE's proposals in the next day or so and try to give a response by the end of this week, transmitting it to the BOE team by electronic means. Hopefully, that will allow them to review it and prepare a counter by the OPENING of next Tuesday's scheduled session.

Both sides have expressed a desire to bring negotiations to a successful conclusion...THIS MONTH. (Of course, we said that back in November...in October...in September...and August!)

We will keep you informed...