All Unit 1 AACPS employees should take few minutes to review the attachments. They contain a detailed summary of the tentative settlement of a new two-year Negotiated Agreement between the Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County and the Board of Education of Anne Arundel County.
This is an opportunity for every employee impacted by this agreement to review it and cast an electronic ballot to accept or reject it. This tentative agreement represents what TAAAC’s negotiating team believes to be the most agreeable terms and conditions of employment available in the current environment. It is also the belief of TAAAC’s team that the representatives of the Board would describe it similarly. The negotiations began in early October and the settlement did not take form until early May with some hanging details finally disposed of last week. Reaching the settlement involved coming to agreement on or otherwise disposing of fifty-two (52) items brought to the bargaining table by the parties. Overall, it could be characterized as a generally collaborative effort in which neither party walked away with everything it wanted, but both finished with enough to live with, knowing that there are issues yet to be resolved in future sessions, including compensation.
VOTING INSTRUCTIONS
To cast your vote for rejection or acceptance of the Tentative Negotiated Agreement should only take a few minutes. The results will inform the Association Representative Council in its decision to ratify or reject the settlement on June 5th, its final meeting of the year. For your vote to be considered, you should cast it by the close of business on Tuesday, June 4th.
TO DO SO, FOLLOW THE BELOW INSTRUCTIONS:
- Open and review the attachment entitled Settlement Summary. It is an outline describing in detail all of the substantive changes made to the soon-to-expire 2009-13 Agreement.
- Open and review the attachment entitled Unit I Scales or Unit I Specialist Scales as applicable. The scales will allow viewers to compare their current salary to the salary to be earned at the start of the 2013-14 school year, and again on January 22 when every Unit 1 employee will receive a salary step. For example, a 191-day teacher currently paid at salary step 14 on the Meq/APC column as shown on the Mid-year 2012-13 scales ($70,704). On the onset of the 2013-14 school year, that teacher would move to the same step and column (Step 14 on the Meq/APC) but on the 2013-14 scales ($71,411). On January 22, 2014, the teacher in our example would move down the grid to Step 17 ($74,797). Please note that the movement occurs without regard to the actual experience credit for every Unit I employee currently situated on salary step 14. The intent of the settlement is to pay every Unit I employee at a rate one salary step higher than current. Unit I employees on other steps and columns will follow the same movement at their respective starting points. Unit I employees currently paid at top step (Step 25) will move to the new Step 26 on January 22, 2014.
As members are deciding their votes, it must be understood that the Board of Education will be obligated to adopt terms and conditions of employment for all employees on June 19th, it’s final meeting before the expiration of our current Agreement. If TAAAC ratifies this tentative settlement, the Board will do likewise and the terms and conditions of employment for Unit I employees will be those same terms and conditions reviewed and voted on here. If TAAAC does not ratify the Board, as employer, must and will unilaterally adopt and impose terms and conditions for Unit I employees and it will not be restricted to those in the tentative settlement or even by those in the current agreement.
On behalf of TAAAC’s team; Leona Puglia (Brooklyn Park ES), Donzella Parker-Bert (Crofton MS), Diana Peckham (Northeast HS), Roxanne Beach (Odenton ES), Jackie Lubniewski (Severna Park HS), Jim Vaughn (Severn River MS), Ken Baughman (Magothy River MS), Pam Bukowsky, (Southern MS), Richard Benfer (President), I ask that you take the time to review the materials and cast your vote.
