Keep track of messages on the preaonline.com website here. http://www.preaonline.com/ Going to Springfield 11/18 Terry Viscuso, Tom Nasshan, Jerry Mulvihill and Fred Klonsky, members of the Negotiating Team, will be heading for Springfield December 2nd and 3rd to attend the Winter Advocacy Conference of the IEA. Rudy Ruettiger, the Notre Dame grad whose story was turned into the movie, "Rudy," will be the featured speaker. But, lots of bargaining training will be the main purpose of the conference. Katrina Relief 11/18 Over half a million dollars has been raised for the NEA's Katrina Relief Fund. But the dollars have all been distributed to meet school, student and teacher needs in the Gulf Coast Region. More is needed. NEA Katrina Relief 1201 16th Street NW Suite 216 Washington, DC 20036 Madigan Meets 11/18 State House Speaker, Michael Madigan has agreed to meet with IEA leadership to discuss tenure reform. In the last legislative session before the summer Madigan opposed any change in tenure laws. Madigan's willingness to meet may indicate some movement, according to IEA leaders. Weingarten Reminder 11/18 Oliver Jones, our IEA Uniserv Director, says, "The Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act guarantees that all educational employees are entitled to union representation when an employer interviews the employee, and there is a reasonable belief that the interview may result in discipline. The employee must request such representation." http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html Fifteen people attended our November Governing Board meeting. Among the issues adddressed were: No teacher committees should be asked by administration to consider items or proposals that impact other teachers' planning time or employment status. These kinds of issues need to be bargained. The Calendar Committee will meet on December 13th. Debbie Brandt will represent the middle schools and Jeanne Gibbons will represent the elementary teachers. The Negoitation Team reported that the results of the Unification Survey show that among the most important issues of concern to members are salary, insurance and class size. Teachers' boxes are reserved for professional materials. Outside religious groups or other out-of-district groups are not to use teacher boxes for distribution of their materials. The Association has 359 members. Every teacher in District 64 is a member of the Association. There are no Fair Share members. Seven teachers will be running for the five IEA RA delegate slots. Once again, PREA has demonstrated that we are an active, democratic local by the interest our members show in running for positions. When Chicago Ridge settled their strike last month, they lost two days of pay. Region 36 has asked each local to make a contribution to the Chicago Ridge teachers. It was moved, seconded and approved to send $100 to the Chicago Ridge teachers. http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html "Dear Park Ridge Education Association, Thank you so much for your generous donation of $100 during our recent strike. We are very glad to be back in our classrooms! We appreciate your support. Sincerely, The Mendota Education Association" "Thank you for your kindness and sympathy at a time when it was deeply appreciated. Sally Pryor" http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html Nearly 60 members of the House have signed on to HB 4166 , the IEA-backed bill calling for changes to the new 6 percent pension rule. Ê ÒI wish we could have resolved this issue in the fall session,Ó said Rep. Dan Reitz (D-Steeleville) and chief House sponsor of the bill HB 4166. ÊÒHowever, the speaker has agreed to have his pension experts meet with Rep. Molaro Ê(House sponsor of the pension bill from last session), the unions and management over the break to see if an agreement can be reached.Ó Sen. Jeff Schoenberg (D-Evanston) met with the IEA, IFT and school management groups this week to discuss his bill, SB 2151 , the companion bill to HB 4166 . ÊSen. Ed Maloney (D-Chicago), Sen. James Clayborne (D-East St. Louis) and Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) joined Schoenberg at the meeting. Schoenberg said the bill is Òa top priorityÓ when legislators return to Springfield in January and he plans to ask Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) for his support. Schoenberg also will Êmeet with Rep. Bob Molaro (D-Chicago) during the break to discuss legislative strategy. http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html Jo Anderson Hired as New Executive Director of IEA 11/8 A longtime advocate for public education employees and school improvement and good friend of the PREA has been named executive director for the Illinois Education Association (IEA), the state's largest education employees' union. The IEA Board of Directors on Saturday, Nov. 5, approved the hiring of Jo Anderson for the top staff position with IEA. "Throughout his IEA career, Jo has shown he is a tireless advocate for education employees and a leader in school improvement," said IEA President Ken Swanson. Jo Anderson has worked closely with the PREA and District 64 administration through his role as the director of the Center for Innovation and executive director of the Consortium for Educational Change. Jo and other CEC staff have facilitated school improvement efforts with a number of District 64 schools and their QITs, including Roosevelt and Carpenter. Jo was instrumental in helping District 64 establish its District Quality Leadership Team. "The trust the IEA Board has shown in me is very gratifying," Anderson said. "I look forward to helping the organization accomplish its mission; to be the primary advocacy organization for public education employees and students." Anderson succeeds Clayton Marquardt, who announced his retirement last spring. http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html A quick reminder to from Mary Hinsey, Region 36 Elections Chair: Nomination forms for Delegates and/or Alternates to the 2006 IEA-RA must be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 9, 2005. Forms should be sent to Mary Hinsey or Pat Church at the Region 36 Office located at 8833 Gross Point Road, Suite 300, in Skokie. Thanks. http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html IPACE is hosting a reception on Monday, November 7, 2005, at the Holiday Inn Chicago-Skokie (5300 W. Touhy, Skokie) from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A room large enough for 100 people has been reserved for us. Coffee, tea, water, and soft drinks as well as hors dÕoeuvres will be provided. Legislators who have confirmed their attendance are Senator Jeff Schoenberg, Senator Carol Ronen, Representative Elaine Nekritz, Representative Harry Osterman, and Representative Julie Hamos. Please RSVP by 4:00 P.M. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, to Donna Proefrock at 1-800-252-8076, ext. 239 (feel free to leave your name, your local name and the number who will attend on voice mail if the line is busy or if youÕre calling after business hours.) or email Donna at Donna.Proefrock@ieanea.org with the reservation information. http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html As this month's PREA Governing Board meeting, which was held on Monday, the following was discussed: A letter will be written to IEA President, Ken Swanson, once again stating our opposition to the priorities of the IEA budget. The budget will be considered at the IEA RA in March. We believe that "service to members" should be the guiding principle for any budget. The present priorities protect positions at the top, while freezing region and local services. Elections will take place November 30 for delegates to the IEA RA. Nominating forms are available in each building. Those wishing to run as a delegate need to submit a form to the IEA Region office by November 9th. The Negotiating Team has requested that each Association member fill out the Unification Survey. The survey will provide direction to the Team. Andy Duerkop, a member of the Insurance Committee, reported on the HMO option that the Insurance Committee is considering. The HMO option may be available beginning January 1st. Franny Keyes, teacher leader of the Professional Growth Committee, sent a report which reminded teachers to keep track of their own credits. She also said that the Committee was working on the difference between teachers who are frozen and are reimbursed for district classes and teachers who are accumulating professional growth for lane movement. http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html We're having an election! Nominations are now open for the IEA RA. Building election reps have posted notice of nominations and nomination forms in each building. ÊNominations are open until November 9. The IEA RA is scheduled for March 9-11 in Rosemont. http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html IEA President Ken Swanson requests your help during the Illinois State legislature's Veto Session. http://www.ieanea.org/localPresidents/Oct05/10_12_05.html http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html PREA Governing Board Meeting at Lincoln LRC. Monday, October 17th Contract "Unification Survey" will be distributed to all PREA Building Reps. Upcoming Board of Education Items With Tentative Dates: Recognition of Award for Holly Gansz from IAHPERDÐOctober 24 Update on School Improvement Plan at RooseveltÐOctober 24 Discussion of I.D.E.I.A. and Private SchoolsÐOctober 24 Approval of Board/Superintendent GoalsÐOctober 24 ISAT Report and School Report CardsÐOctober 24 Discussion of Strategic Planning ConferenceÐOctober 24 First Reading of Policy Issue 5 -June, 2005ÐOctober 24 Adoption of Tentative LevyÐNovember 14 Review of Community Finance Committee Charge and DirectionÐNovember 14 http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html Weingarten rights guarantee an employee the right to union representation during a disciplinary meeting with administration. Does the employer have to inform you about your Weingarten rights before the meeting? Absolutely not. It is up to employees to know their rights and ask for representation in investigatory or disciplinary interviews. What situations give rise to Weingarten rights? Where the employee has a reasonable expectation that discipline may result; for example, where the meeting is part of the employer's disciplinary procedure. Where the purpose of the meeting or interview is to investigate an employee's allegedly inadequate work performance or other misconduct, where discipline of any kind is a possible result. Where the purpose of the interview or meeting is to elicit facts, the employee's "side of the story," or obtain admissions or other evidence either to determine whether or not discipline is warranted OR to support a disciplinary decision already made. Where the employee is required to explain or defend his/her conduct in a situation which the employee reasonably fears could affect his/her working conditions or job security. The Negotiating Team will be distributing a Unification Survey to Building Reps at the next Governing Board Meeting, October 17th. All the surveys need to be returned to the Reps by October 27th in order to be counted. The survey is shorter this time, and requires you to award a limited number of points to contract issues you feel are most important. If further clarification of issues is required, another round of surveys may be distributed. Our Team consists of Terry Viscuso, Chair, from Emerson, Mark Stefanik and Tom Nasshan of Lincoln, Julie Hamilton and Georg Luxton of Washington, Jerry Mulvihill from Roosevelt and Fred Klonsky from Carpenter. http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html The Board approved the sale of five million dollars in working cash bonds. These bonds are necessary to cover short falls in cash resulting from tax caps, late payments from the tax collector and commercial tax appeals. The cost to taxpayers is eleven cents for each hundred dollars of assessed evaluation. http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html The TRS has finally come out with the details of rules and regs governing the extension of ERO that the Illinois legislature passed last session. While there are a number of points, the most pressing is that any member who submitted a letter of intent to retire by 2007 to the District 64 Human Resources office is covered by the old state ERO rules. Remember, at present there is no District early retirement plan. http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html IMRF is the retirement fund for municipal employees and school district employees who are not covered by TRS. If you know people who are covered by IMRF, please let them know that the candidates endorsed for the IMRF Board, which oversees the system, are IEA member, Judi Voller and Marvin Shoop. They are also endorsed by SEIU and AFSCME. Ballots go out in the mail in early November and must be mailed back by the end of November. http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html The legislative veto session, which runs from October 26 to November 4th will adress retirement fund issues, pension adjustments, tenure reform and most importantly, school funding. Go the www.ieanea.org for facts sheets on these issues and contact information. http://www.preaonline.com/messages.html