FPLS Board Meeting is on Monday June 27 at 6pm

Board has rejected our proposal. They want three year freeze of salary, columns and steps. They also want full control of supplimentals. This it the time when must stand together and make a show of solidarity.  We realize that many members are deep into the summer vacation, however we would like to see as many of you as possible at the board meeting this Monday June 27@ 6:00 in the board office. We need a show of solidarity. Please pass this on to other members.

FPEA Meeting

Thursday August 18 at 11am

              The FPEA will hold a meeting on Thursday, August 18, 2011 in the HS/MS cafeteria.  Among other very important topics members will be updated regarding the current contract negotiations. 

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Monday 6/20/2011

Radification meeting on June 20, 2011 at 10:00am in the band room.



Tuesday 5/24/2011

Next FPEA Meeting is on Tuesday 5/24/2011 in the Art Room.  Please try to attend!

Petition signing will be held at the Fayetteville Community Building from 6-8 pm. 

Please help us get the word out.


Hope to see you there!

FPEA Meeting on Thursday 5/12... please try to attend!

The next regular FPEA meeting will be on Thursday 5/12 immediately after school in the Art room.  We will discuss end of year business, officer elections, petition circulators, negotiations etc.  Also, anyone who is interested in running for an office needs to contact Kim.  We would like to thank Sharon Sheets and Gretchen Ansteatt for the many years of service as co-treasures.  You have done a wonderful job and will be greatly missed. 

Please complete the FPEA Negotiations Survey.  We are asking all members to return completed surveys by Tuesday 5/17.  Surveys can be returned via email to me or printed out and given to your building representatives.  (Jerri Allley ES, Jeff Lockhart MS, or Liz Reed HS)  

FPEA Meeting

The next FPEA meeting will be on Thursday 5/12 at 3pm in the Art room.  We will discuss end of year business, officer elections, and collect signatures for Adams, Brown, Clermont, and Highland Counties.  If possible we will have a circulator for Clinton Co. Present.

SB5 PETITIONS

If you have not yet signed a petition it is important for you to locate a circulator in your county.

Clermont Co.
              *Kim Wiederhold
Highland Co,
              *Kim Wiederhold
Adams Co.
              *Nicki Whitley
Brown Co.
             *Kim Wiederhold
             *Sharon Sheets
             *Melinda Brown
             *Nicki Whitley
We are willing to meet you or your family members before or after school hours to collect signatures.  We are not able to collect signatures for anyone during the school day. 

Scholarship Committee

Mr. Herron still needs one or two teachers to sit on the scholarship committee meeting on Monday the 2nd, at 6:00 pm.  If you could help out let Kim Wiederhold or James Herron know asap. 

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

Referendum Petition

Kim Wiederhold, Mendy Brown, and  Nicki Whitley have Referendum Petitions for anyone in Brown Co. to sign.  At this time we only have Brown Co. at this time, however we hope to have more of the surrounding counties very soon.  Get with one of us to sign anytime before or after school hours.  Also, Mendy and Nicki are available as late a 5pm if you have a spouse or family member who would be willing to sign. 

Please keep checking back to get updates and learn when we have additional counties available. 

Simply Engaged Wellness Incentive Program

 

Complete the Health Risk Assessment and get a $75 give card

You and your covered spouse may complete the Health Assessment.  You can visit myuhc.com to access the Health Assessment.  Log onto myuhc.com and them click "Health Assessment on the landing page.

Complete an online Health Coaching program and get a $25 gift card

Following completion of the Health Assessment you can visit myuhc.com to access the Online Health Coaching program.  Click "Health & Wellness" tab, then "Onlie Health Coach" link under the Personal Health Center tab to get started.

Complete a telephone-based Health Coaching program and get a $75 gift card

You must complete the Health Assessment first in order to participate in the telephone-based Health Coach program.  Once you've completed the Health Assessment, call the Optum Health Coach at  1-800-478-1057 to begin working on your personal health improvement plan.

See the handouts regarding this in HS/MS Lunch Room or ES Lunch Room

SB 5 passes - beginning referendum effort to restore collective bargaining

March 30, 2011Local leaders, please forward this critical information quickly to your members! SB 5 Passes Ohio House and Senate in one day,
in bid to silence the voice of those serving Ohio,
but signature drive for referendum fight begins soon

Dear SWOEA ,
Like many of you, I began teaching when there was no collective bargaining law. Then in the 1980s, we saw the possibility for passing an Ohio collective bargaining law. Twenty-seven years ago I rode a bus with many of my colleagues from Cleveland to Columbus to rally at the Statehouse for the passage of the bill, just like so many OEA members have done this year. Back then, we established our collective bargaining rights, just as we are fighting now to preserve them.Today, despite all our work, I witnessed the passage of Senate Bill 5. The House passed the legislation, 53-44, with five no votes from Republicans and 39 no's from Democrats. Less than five hours later, the Senate passed the bill 17-16, with the same six Republican Senators joining all 10 Democrats in opposing it. This is not what we hoped for. We fought this battle with collective action – our emails, phone calls, letters to the editor, personal meetings, rallies and interviews. Speaking with one voice, we made it clear: collective bargaining is effective and it isn't broke. My heart is filled with pride and amazement at our effort and energy. But my head is pounding due to relentless attacks on our rights, the state budget for education and our pension plans. The passage of SB 5 is not the end. We now must continue the struggle, and we can only win at the ballot box in November. Let's keep our energy levels high going forward – both for our continuing legislative battles, for the signature-gathering effort that begins soon, and the referendum campaign in the fall. All of us will take part – teachers, ESPs, students, retirees and all our college and Pre-K-12 specialists. We have pride in our professionalism and we will not allow our voices to be silenced. We must win the referendum election November 8 to prevail. To get there, we will launch an effective effort to gather 250,000 valid signatures to defeat this outrageous bill. We will start the signature drive in earnest as soon as we get required approvals for ballot language. That could take 15 to 25 days, so we cannot gather signatures until those approvals come through. But we understand that process and we are on top of it. We are already getting ready. OEA will participate in referendum kickoff activities now being planned, and we'll provide details as soon as we have them. We will begin with planning sessions on the referendum and signature-gathering logistics on April 7 with all OEA staff, and you will receive more information after that. Together with our coalition and labor partners, we believe we can build wide support for the referendum. We do not believe the people of Ohio elected public officials to cut education funding, attack educators and set off a fiscal crisis in every community across the state. In that hope, I believe Ohioans will be on our side. Thank you for everything you have done to help us on this issue, and thank you for everything you do every day for OEA, for public education and for our students. - Patricia Frost-BrooksKeep listening,
Keep learning,
Keep leading!
 <https://owa.scoca-k12.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=262d66ecf9ba4eafa6e1b771afe68f0e&URL=http%3a%2f%2fmsg6svc.net%2fcozvg%2f336720%2f53%2f114569%2f3111%2f0%2fS%2f0%2f0%2fjxgr.html> President to President is an electronic newsletter of the Ohio Education Association written for local association presidents and other association leaders. Please feel free to copy and share this information with your members. Ohio Education Association 225 East Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-228-4526
www.ohea.org <https://owa.scoca-k12.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=262d66ecf9ba4eafa6e1b771afe68f0e&URL=http%3a%2f%2fmsg6svc.net%2fcozvg%2f336720%2f53%2f114569%2f3111%2f0%2fS%2f0%2f0%2fjxgr.html>

REFERENDUM Circulators Training Date

Kim still needs two members to do this.   Contact her ASAP if interested.

What I need from you:

•      Identify a minimum of two members from each local to be trained as petition circulators.  Ideally, one member per building would work the best. 

•       Identified members will need to be available to attend a training of trainers and circulators to take place during the week of April 11.

•        Report to me, the names of members to be trained and trainings dates available the week of April 11,  no later than Friday, March 25^th.

SB5 and Gender

The Fordham Institute recently sponsored a survey of Ohio school superintendents. When afforded the opportunity to speak out, this group generally expressed the view that labor contracts and government regulations serve as impediments to their managerial authority. Removing these barriers would allow superintendents to more completely exercise their judgment and wisdom, which, in their view would lead to a better management of resources and a measurable improvement in student achievement.
Eighty-three percent of responding superintendents were male.
Data from ODE show:
Eighty-four percent of the superintendents of Ohio’s K-12 school districts are male.
Seventy-four percent of school teachers are female.
Ninety-eight percent of male superintendents are white.
Superintendents who are black and female outnumber those who are black and male.Supporters of SB5 seek to replace a democratic and representative process with one where power is concentrated among a small group of 54-year old white males. The evidence suggests that the first item on this group’s agenda is the protection of their own economic interests.
The joint testimony of OSBA, OASBO and BASA offers strong support of SB5. The only concern expressed by this group has to do with the proposal to prohibit public employers from paying the employees’ share of retirement. Since this benefit is universally applied to superintendents and treasurers, this position is not surprising.
Only about five percent of OEA local CBAs provide for a pick-up-on-the-pick-up. Since this provision is found in mostly small school districts, it is reasonable to estimate that only one to two percent of OEA members enjoy this benefit. Moreover, only a handful of the CBAs that provide payment for the employees’ retirement, pay the full employee share. Full payment of the employee share is the industry standard for superintendents and treasurers.
In calling for the elimination of the single salary schedule for teachers, OSBA, OASBO, BASA and other supporters of SB5 are seeking to dismantle an objective and predicable pay system that has served to effectively remove gender-based pay inequity from public education. As an institutional norm, training and experienced-based pay ensures comparable pay for comparable work.
The Economic Policy Institute reports that teachers are paid less than those employed in comparable professions. However, within the teaching profession, the average pay of male teachers exceeds that of female teachers by about six percent. Among non-teacher college graduates, males out-earn females by 32 percent.
The passage of SB5 would constitute a 27-year step backward in terms of the rights of all public employees. For females, the potential harm is much greater. Advances made over a century’s-long struggle for equal rights could be undone by the single stroke of a 58-year old white male’s pen.

Tuesday March 15 Rallies

                                    We need to stand up for Ohio...Get out and support the cause at a Rally in your area.                         

Oberlin Corner of N. Main St. and W. Lorain St. 5:00pm RSVP: 732-646-1664	Akron Tri County Labor Council 720 Wolf Ledges 4:30pm RSVP: 330-612-5573
Vandalia Corner of Maple St. and E. National Rd.5:00pm RSVP: 937-461-9983	Maumee Maumee Town Square on Conant between E. Dudley and E. John 5:30pm RSVP: 202-577-4424
Strongsville Pearl Rd and Route 82 5:30pm RSVP: 440-333-7007	Portsmouth Shawnee State University Flohr Lecture Hall 5:00pm RSVP: 740-357-1202
Westerville Westerville Library 126 South State St 6:00pm RSVP: 614-323-1703	Cincinnati Fountain Square 5th and Vine4:15pm RSVP: 513-961-2272
Salem St. Paul Church 935 E. State St. 5:00pm RSVP: 330-743-1196	Jefferson East Jefferson St. & South Market 5:00pm RSVP: 440-415-2925
Steubenville 227 S. 3RD Street 5:00pm RSVP: 330-794-7570	Mansfield Main St. Town Square 5:00pm RSVP: 419-468-9836

Contact your elected official...

As we move our fight from the Senate to the House, we must continue to call our elected officials to voice our opposition to SB 5.  (FYI – it will continue to be labeled “SB 5” as it moves to the House since it originated in the Senate with that bill number.)

The number our members should use to contact their elected official is 1-888-907-7309.  Each caller will be asked for his/her zip code and the call will be connected to the appropriate representative’s office.  The caller will be given several talking points as the call is being connected so we are delivering the same message.

Rally in Goshen

Protect Our Heroes!

They Work to PROTECT You.

They need your help NOW!

WHAT: Rally in Goshen
DATE: Thursday, March 10, 2011 -3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: Corner of State Route 28 and Goshen RoadPlease join us for a Community Awareness Rally in Goshen, Ohio to Protect Our Heroes! Parking is available near the ball fields. Bring your members, bring signs – let’s let the community of Goshen know we Oppose SB 5! Tell our house members to STOP attacking hard-working Police, Firefighters, Nurses, Teachers and other Public Employees.

If you have questions, please email Linda Hofacker at

or call Cristina Muñoz-Nedrow at 614-284-2357

hofacker@ohea.org

Senate Bill 5 Hearings

Ohio Senate Bill 5, which attacks public sector collective bargaining, has moved over to the House after passage by the Senate last week.  The bill will be heard in a series of hearings this week before the Commerce and Labor Committee.

The schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, 3/8 at 4:00 pm in hearing room 121-sponsor testimony will be heard.

Wednesday, 3/9 at 9:00 am in hearing room 313-proponent testimony will be heard.

Thursday, 310, at 1:15 pm in hearing room 313 –all testimony will be heard…

Rosenberger to host town hall meetings; encourages discussion on SB 5 .

Ohio 86th District Representative Cliff Rosenberger (R-Clarksville) announced Monday that he will be hosting in-district town hall meetings throughout the month of March. These events are open forums, and the public is welcome to attend with any questions or concerns. 

"If anyone wants to discuss Senate Bill 5 I would be happy to discuss it," Rosenberger said. 

 

The town hall meetings will be held at the following dates, times and locations: 

• Friday, March 11, from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the Clinton County Annex Building, 111 Nelson Rd., Wilmington, 45177.

• Friday, March 11 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Highland County Administration Building, 119 Governor Foraker Place, Hillsboro, 45133.

• Monday, March 14, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Pike County Government Building, 230 Waverly Plaza, Waverly, 45690.

We need to get out to these meetings and voice our firm opposition to SB 5.

Rally in Clermont County

Protect Our Heroes!

 

They Work to PROTECT You.

They need your help NOW!

WHAT: Rally in Clermont County Greet President of the Ohio Senate Tom Niehaus prior to the Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner
DATE: Friday, March 4, 2011 – 5:00 p.m.

WHERE: In front of O’Charley’s – Eastgate Mall
 Please join us for a Rally in Cincinnati, Ohio to Protect Our Heroes! We will meet in the open area in front of O’Charley’s 5:00 p.m. Please park at the Mall – not at O’Charley’s! Bring your members, bring signs – let’s let Senator Niehaus and Cincinnati know we Oppose SB 5! Tell them to STOP attacking hard-working Police, Firefighters, Nurses, Teachers and Public Employees.
If you have questions, please email Linda Hofacker at hofacker@ohea.org
or call Cristina Muñoz-Nedrow at 614-284-2357 THIS DATE IN LABOR HISTORY – MARCH 4, 1801 In his inaugural address,

President Thomas Jefferson declares: "Take not from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned."

4531 Eastgate Blvd, Cincinnati, OH 45245

SB 5 Amendment Review and link to full amendment.

OEA Governmental Services: Senate Bill 5 Omnibus Amendment Review

Scope of Bargaining:

·         State employees and K-12 school employees may bargain wages, hours and terms and conditions of employees.  HOWEVER, the bill still outlines extensive matters prohibited from bargaining.  E.g. “no affects bargaining”

·         Employees of state institutions of higher education may bargain wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment.  HOWEVER, faculty is generally excluded from collective bargaining by being defined as “supervisors” or “management level” employees.

Teacher Compensation:

·         Salaries can be bargained but must be based on the following performance measures:

·         Level of teacher license; whether the teacher is a “highly qualified teacher” under law; the value-added measure the board uses to determine the performance of the students assigned to the teacher’s classroom; the results of the teacher’s performance evaluations, any peer review program created by an agreement between the board and teachers association, or another system of evaluation used by that board; any other criteria established by the board.

Education Support Personnel Compensation:

·         Wages/salaries can be bargained but must be based on merit.

State employee compensation:

·         Wages/salaries can be bargained within minimum and maximum pay ranges, with progress through the salary ranges based on merit (no automatic steps).

·         Inserts language regarding full-time state employee vacation leave, which supersedes CBA’s entered into on or after the effective date of the bill.   Caps vacation leave accumulation at 7.7 hours per biweekly pay period after 19 years of service (current cap is 9.2 hrs./bi-weekly pay period after 24 yrs. of service).

Public Employee Health Care:

·         Reinstates School Employee Health Care Board language stating that “all health care benefits provided to persons employed by the public schools of the state shall be health care plans that contain best practices established by the school employee health care board.  

·         Requires that health care benefits provided to a management level employee, as defined in section 4117.01, shall be the same as any health care benefits provided to other employees of the same public employer.

·         Changes from 80% to 85% the cap that a public employer, including the state and any of its subdivisions, may pay for health insurance on behalf of an employee.  In other words, public employees must pay a minimum of 15% of their healthcare premium, as opposed to the previously proposed 20%.

Teacher Layoff:

·         Adds to layoff criteria “any peer review program created by an agreement entered into by a board of education and representatives of teachers employed by that board.” This is in addition to level of license, whether the teacher has “highly qualified” status, the value-added measure the board uses to determine the performance of the students assigned to the teacher’s classroom, the results of the teacher’s performance evaluation, and any other criteria determined by the board.

·         Provides that when determining whether to lay off an employee as part of a reduction in force, a public employer shall not discriminate in violation of Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4112 or any applicable federal law. 

Teacher Contracts:

·         An initial limited contract for a classroom teacher, entered into on or after the effective date of the bill, shall not exceed three years.  Any subsequent limited contract: not less than 2 years and not more than 5 years. 

No bargaining the following:

·         Significantly expands the list of public employer management rights not subject to mandatory bargaining. 

·         Any existing provision of a CBA that was modified, renewed, or extended from a prior CBA that is not included in the definition of “wages, hours, and terms and conditions” shall not be a mandatory subject of CB and shall not be subject to any impasse procedure without the mutual agreement of both parties.  The inclusion of a provision in a previous CBA shall not be used as a basis for the provision being determined to be within the definition of “wages, hours, and terms and conditions.” 

·         Any requirements on the number of employees required to be on duty or employed in any department, division, or facility of a public employer. 

·         No CBA shall prohibit a public employer whom the auditor of state has declared to be in a state of fiscal watch from modifying a CBA so that salary or benefit increases, or both, are suspended. 

·         No CBA shall prohibit a public employer that the auditor of state, OR GOVERNOR, has declared to be in a state of fiscal emergency, or where a conservator has been appointed for a state institution of higher education, from serving notice to terminate, modify, or renegotiation a CBA.

·         Any requirement that provides for hourly overtime exceeding the rate required by the Fair Labor Standards Act.

·         Any requirement that the public employer continue any practices or provide any benefits not specifically set forth in the written agreement.

·         Any provision that exceeds the annual earnings or accrual rate of the following leave credits:

·         For vacation leave a maximum annual accumulation of six weeks paid vacation prior to twenty years of continuous service. 

·         For compensated holidays a maximum annual earning of three paid personal days.

·         For compensated personal days a maximum annual earning of three paid personal days.

·         Any provision for the exchange or sell-back of a public employee’s accumulated paid sick leave balance at final retirement that provides for a cash payment that exceeds 50% of the public employee’s total sick leave accumulations.  No payment shall be made for accumulated sick leave in excess of 1,000 hours.

Right to Strike:

·         No public employee or employee organization shall engage in a strike.  Whenever a strike occurs, the public employer may seek an injunction against the strike in the court of common pleas. 

·         Any person engaged in a strike is subject to removal, shall have deducted an amount equal to twice their daily rate of pay for each day on strike and the penalty for violation of a court injunction against a strike is a fine of $1,000 and up to 30 days imprisonment, or both.  Further penalty for willfully disobeying a court.

Dispute Settlement:

·         If 14 days after the publication of fact finding recommendations and the CBA has expired, the public employer shall submit the findings, along with the last best offer of the employer and employee organization to the legislative body of the employer.  After a public hearing, the legislative body (e.g. school board) must vote to accept either offer.

Unfair Labor Practice:

·         Makes it a ULP for an employee organization to restrain or coerce employees or PUBLIC EMPLOYERS in the exercise of rights guaranteed by ORC 4117.

·         Makes it a ULP to encourage any individual to engage in a secondary boycott.

·         No longer requires SERB to find probable cause in order to issue a complaint and conduct a hearing.

·         Makes certain ULP’s (e.g. illegal strike) by an employee organization punishable by suspension of the payment of dues or fees to the employee organization for up to 30 days.

Charter School Collective Bargaining:

·         Eliminates authority to organize and collectively bargain in start-up community schools. 

·         Allows the governing authority of a conversion charter school to submit to the SERB a statement requesting that employees of the conversion charter school who are in a CBA be removed from the bargaining unit that is subject to that agreement.

Link to full Amendment:

https://owa.scoca-k12.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=643934d8de4840f0b5f69da1a985acd2&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.legislature.state.oh.us%2fBillText129%2f129_SB_5_PSC_Y.pdf

Rally in Wilmington Monday Night‏

I would like for all of us to stand together for the rally at the Clinton County Fairgrounds Monday Night.  Another Local President (Melissa Cropper from Georgetown) was told by Senator Niehaus that he has the votes to pass it, it will pass, and it will pass when it goes to the House.  He concluded by telling her there’s no slowing it down.  I believe we all have something very different to say about that. We need to make some noise.

Kim Wiederhold

Our efforts are working....

What we are doing is working. Thousands of people showed up at the Statehouse to stand up for Ohio's working families against SB 5.  BUT WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP!  Don't forget to ask your family & friends to call 1-888-218-5931 and tell their legislators to vote against SB 5!

FPEA Jeans Day

We are please to announce the total for our Feburary FPEA Jeans Day was $95.00.

CALL KASICH WITH YOUR VIEW

Word is that Kasich’s office is conducting a statewide phone survey to get information on SB5 and perceptions of the governor.  Respondents giving low scores may  then be asked their opinion on several questions.

Obviously if you  receive the call, take advantage of that opportunity.

In addition, it is rumored that  Kasich MAY be tallying the number of calls concerning SB 5.  They may be numbering supporters and those opposed. 

Given that, we would encourage you to flood Kasich’s office with calls as well, clearly he is concerned with his image regarding these actions. If you get a busy signal or the message that the mailbox is full, keep trying until you get through so that your opinion will be tallied.

Please  call the governor’s office at 614-466-3555.

Thanks,

SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 5

If you’ve not had an opportunity to read up on Senate Bill 5, here is a summary:

The teeth of SB 5

The bill does the following things THAT AFFECT EVERY ONE OF YOUR

CONTRACTS: (given in order of appearance in the bill)

 1. After the bill's effective date, ONLY 1-YEAR CONTRACTS FOR TEACHERS  OR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES

 2. NO MORE CONTINUING CONTRACTS FOR ANYONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE ONE after  the effective date of the bill

 3. ILLEGAL TO BARGAIN OVER HEALTH CARE--Boards must govern their own  plans & EMPLOYEES MUST PAY AT LEAST 20%

 4. NO MORE SALARY SCHEDULES; BOARD DETERMINES EACH PERSON'S PAY BY  MERIT ONLY

 5. NO MORE MANDATORY SICK LEAVE; Boards required to set up their own  "general leave policies"

 6. RIF cannot be conducted by seniority only, but MUST INCLUDE MERIT  RATINGS, including VALUE-ADDED SCORES, etc.

 7. No more requirement to bargain over changing or deleting existing  terms of the CBA--Board can change it

 8. NO MORE BARGAINING OF EFFECTS OF MGMT DECISIONS

 9. When looking at bargaining salaries, all sides MUST consider  "ability to pay" WITHOUT COUNTING LEVIES THAT ARE UP OR WILL BE ADDED

 10. ILLEGAL TO BARGAIN VACANCY/TRANSFER/JOB DUTIES (i.e. "no  restriction on Board or administration's ability to fill or assign  based on qualifications and suitability")

 11. ILLEGAL TO BARGAIN ANY RESTRICTION ON CLASS SIZE

 12. ILLEGAL TO BARGAIN ANY RESTRICTION ON A BOARD'S DETERMINATION OF  HOW TO ORDER A RIF

 13. Illegal to bargain any provision BETTER than the law, but CAN  bargain LESS than the law.

 14. IF IN FISCAL EMERGENCY, BOARD CAN TERMINATE CONTRACT WITH NOTICE;  MAY bargain a new one.

 15. Once Impasse is reached in negotiations, EMPLOYER MANDATED TO POST  ON THEIR WEBSITE BOARD'S & UNION'S LAST OFFERS

16. Strikes WOULD still be Legal, BUT THE BOARD CAN GET AN INJUNCTION AT  ANY TIME

 17. BOARD CAN HIRE PERMANENT REPLACEMENTS FOR STRIKERS

 18. Employers (Board members, administrators) can "offer opinions,  views, beliefs, etc." on negotiations topics without it being a ULP

URGENT CALL TO ACTION...Join the cyber lobbying and email your Ohio Senator!

URGENT MESSAGE TO ALL SWOEA MEMBERS:

Tonight the OEA Region 5 Coordinating Council (R5CC) suspended business as usual.  In response to Senate Bill 5 (SB5) and other pending legislation in Ohio’s Statehouse, the R5CC declared a state of crisis to address the dangers presented by this legislation.

Our first action was to form a crisis committee with the goals to inform members what’s at risk in the pending legislation and to engage members to avert this crisis.  We pledged that we would wake up every morning asking ourselves, “What can I do today to solve this crisis?” and to ask all OEA members to join us.
In conjunction with the R5CC, SWOEA asks all locals to also form a crisis committee to address SB5 and other anti-public education legislation. Through various means, we will be asking all members to help.

Today, we ask you to ask members to go to https://owa.scoca-k12.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=7ed63c4978e84786b84aab68fe982ed3&URL=http%3a%2f%2faces.ohea.org to become an OEA Cyber Lobbying Ace.  OEA’s password protected program allows OEA members to obtain information on these critical issues. From that site we ask you to email your Ohio Senator your concerns about SB5.

We will be in contact very often as the issues facing us are complex and appear to be on a fast track in the legislature.  We will be doing everything in our power to support your efforts to mobilize your members.

If it is at all possible, please consider attending hearings on SB5 at the Ohio Statehouse.  Proponent testimony will be held on February 15, 2011 at 2:30 pm and Opponent testimony will be held on February 17, 2011 at 10 am.

If you have questions or concerns please contact me at (513) 594-7129 or https://owa.scoca-k12.org/owa/UrlBlockedError.aspx

Calling all members to action,

Richard C. Packert
SWOEA, President

Urgent...OEA Educator Lobby Days.

Association Leaders,

By now, you may have already read the details of SB 5.  If anyone had any question at all as to the intentions of the Republican Party they should not have any after seeing these details. I have attached copies of the entire SB5 for you to share with your members along with the testimony of the sponsor for SB5.  That being said, now is when the hard work and grassroots effort starts. I am asking each of you personally, over the next days, weeks and months, to please assist each other, leaders, members, retirees and the communities we live in work in to understand how this bill will impact education, children, our jobs and finally our communities. We are in this together and only together can we overcome this attack. This is not a policy debate, they plan on doing permanent injury.  The 500+ page bill hits almost every issue we stand for and hold dear--issues that took folks years and personal sacrifice to obtain.  Let’s be clear, as I sit here typing, I believe they have the votes...but we have the people and the heart.  Folks that came before us sacrificed to get 4117 we can do the same to keep it. We have to lobby and create activism on a scale we have never seen before.  That being said, a lot of information will be coming at you in the next few days, weeks and months. We have to make sure every member understands the harm this bill will cause and then translate that into action and conversation with others. We may have to translate this in ways that makes it very personal for folks to get them geared up.  Some things I can share with you right now:

We are working with a coalition group, Good Jobs Strong Communities, made up of community, labor, civil rights and environmental groups is coming together for the purpose of being an umbrella organization to organize major street demonstrations and events as well as increase public awareness collectively surrounding the many issues member organizations are working on.

Two dates to put in your calendar and to start letting folks know about:

March 15th at 5:00 p.m.--10-12 sites around the state will be targeted for mobilization of labor, community, civil rights and environmental groups. This is the day we expect the budget bill (more good news, right). We will host at least two of these events. As soon as we know which two and the locations of the others, I will let you know.

May 5th at 5:00 p.m. Large scale mobilization event in Columbus. We are hoping this will make history---also, this is the Thursday around the RA so folks should be in Columbus.  

OEA Educator Lobby Days in Columbus:

March 29th, April 5, April 12, May 10, May 24th, June 7th, June 14th and June 21st. 

OEA Educator Lobby Days in the Regions. TBD

Presidents' Day Weekend--Targeted for in-district meetings for State Senators.

Commitment Cards--incorporate the ask in every conversation you have. Talk about SB 5 and ask them to commit to helping defeat this bill. They can sign up through you (cards are attached) or through http://aces.ohea.org/site/PageServer.  You can email, fax or mail the commitment cards to me but either way I need them ASAP.  I would suggest maybe having your building representatives conduct 10 minute meetings to review this information and collect commitment cards at that time. 

In closing, I would also like to say that difficult times lay ahead for all of us. This is the time that we need to communicate and work collectively more than ever. This rests on all our shoulders and together, I believe we can do this.  

Yours In Union,

Jeff Nolasco

Your OEA Labor Relations Consultant

Categories:
Attachments:	Commitment to Public Educa~1.pdf‎ (29 KB‎)‎[Open as Web Page‎]; Senate Bill 5.pdf‎ (1 MB‎)‎[Open as Web Page‎]; SB 5 Sponsor Testimony.pdf‎ (177 KB‎)‎[Open as Web Page‎]