Prairie Grove Teachers Take the Offensive

The Prairie Grove Teachers Association is in the news today, so I thought you might be interested in the latest message from the teachers’ union.  If you want to see more about the impasse, check out the unions’ web site.

ATTENTION PG DISTRICT 46 RESIDENTS

Are you confused?
We are too.

• Are the teachers going on strike?

The PGTA is doing everything we can to avoid going on strike. We continue to meet with the BOE negotiating team and will keep all options open to settle this contract.

• Will the contract that the PGTA is requesting cause a tax increase?

No, the PGTA offer is based on the increase in revenue to the District. As the economy goes, so goes the teacher’s raises.

• Will the PGTA contract proposal cause a financial hardship to the district or taxpayers or have a negative impact on programs?

NO. The District Business Manager reported at the August 14, 2012 Board meeting that in his proposed budget he had over-estimated expenditures, under-estimated revenue and still anticipated a $167,000 surplus for fiscal year 2013.

• How far apart, financially, are the two sides?

Currently the difference is less than $20,000. To keep this in perspective consider that the District has an $11.6 million budget.

• Are all the issues financial?

No, there are some procedural concerns and language that needs to be changed as a result of State law changes.

• It’s been reported that “the biggest barrier is getting a date (for negotiations)” Is this true?

The PGTA negotiations team has been responsive to all requests for meetings with the BOE team. The PGTA has also offered many meeting dates and we currently have a negotiation session scheduled for Thursday September 6, 2012.

• Where can you get more information?

https://sites.google.com/site/pgta46


Comments

Prairie Grove Teachers Take the Offensive — 2 Comments

  1. Why do these negotiations always presume that the teachers get more benefits every time they come to the bargaining table?

    I wish our D46 board members had enough backbone to come to the bargaining table and say

    “There are hundreds of qualified, out-of-work teachers willing to do your jobs. Our final offer is that you will be paid what those teachers are willing accept, nothing more.”

  2. They should have been fired and new ones hired with the stipulation ‘no more contracts, and if you don’t want to work, don’t walk in the door’.

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