Last evening, the TAAAC Association Representative Council previewed a proposed salary package for the 2013-14 fiscal year. The proposed package was the result of negotiations that have been on-going since October with a self-imposed deadline of February 6th (after suffering a one-time extension) in order to be positioned for the adoption of the Board of Education Budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year scheduled to occur at its February 20th meeting. The general terms of the package are:
- An across the board increase of 1% on all steps and columns effective on July 1,
- A full salary step for all Unit 1 employees effective on January 22
- The addition of Step 26 in an amount 2% higher than Step 25, effective on January 22
- A commitment to a complete restructuring of Unit 1 salary scales to be implemented in the 2014-15 fiscal year.
The delay in the step is due to serious concerns over the level of resources expected from county, state, and federal funding sources. The addition of Step 26 is to ensure that our senior employees get a reasonable share of the package. The restructuring is a necessity if we are to eliminate the multi-year longevity waiting times and return to the days of receiving regular increases.
This preview did not constitute a ratification and there is much left to negotiate, including other priority issues such as workload and healthcare and the term (length) of a prospective Agreement. The teams met again on the day of this update and are scheduled to meet again on February 13th, when they will continue working toward a comprehensive agreement and schedule more bargaining dates in February and March.
TAAAC ELECTION BALLOT ˆ CORRECTION
Every TAAAC member should be receiving an election ballot from the AR(s) at their school or worksite. The instructions immediately above the list of candidates for NEA Delegates contain a typographical error that somehow escaped detection during the proofing process and appear self-contradictory. They indicate, Vote for Up to Five (15). The correct instruction is Vote for Up to Fifteen (15).
