Union News?

[bruce]

The negotiation team and union need to take a strike vote at the beginning of the year. If you get 70% or better it tells the LC that we are united for the most part. I dont think we will be able to pull that off with the elem. and middle school teachers.

What happened to the seperate negotiation teams?

[musicisart]

No one ever strikes before negotiations, it shows bad faith on the union side. What do you get out of that? You strike when the Tenantive agreement goes to the membership to be voted on, and you don't like it and after mediation and no one can come to an agreement. We would look like fools to an abritrator or a judge. I support the union 100%.

[bruce]

Please read .....I said strike VOTE. This has been done several times in years past and it is very effective. The last two negotiations were flat out miserable. We are the lowest paid school in lake county (yes lower then north chicago). Its not just about pay, but pay is what hits home every two weeks.

[WaukTalk75]

Pay is something every important to us all! yes bruce I totally agree.

[WaukTalk75]

bruce, how would the union sell this to the teachers? can i pick ur brain? and how do u do this without alienating the waukegan residents who are the taxpayers? Do we not need their support? It could be viewed as hostile... tell me what u think

[bruce]

Hopefully the negotiation team as well. I believe pay falls somewhere between bus duties and cafeteria supervision . Pay definitley needs to be a priority
for this negotiation team.

[WaukTalk75]

hahaha... that was funny........... but im sure salary is on there mind particularly because of the economy. For every teacher I'm sure it is issue #1

[bruce]

Its called a pre-negotiation strike vote. You take a union vote just like all the others and then the negotiaton team has that in their back pocket before they go in. Now it may not be a favorable vote because of the middle and elementary schools, but if it is favorable (70% or better) its very valuable. If negotioations stall and strike talk is serious the negotiation team already knows they have enough members to strike when the real vote is taken. It also shows the admin that we mean buisness and there is absolute solidarity. How do you think Niles district got those great contracts in the mid 90's.

[WaukTalk75]

I really do see where you are coming from. i just hope that we don't look like imbeciles like last contract with 9-10 months of not knowing what is happening . That can really hurt us. You know how we get when we don't hear anything... and in the eyes of management that makes us look weak. you know? i wonder if they can negotiate without that gag order this year?

[WaukTalk75]

why do you think we elementary teachers or the middle school teachers would not go along with this? A symbolic strike vote?