Q. Why should I get involved with an adjunct union when I don’t know if I’ll be teaching here in a year?

Posted 3/9/17

1^st MEDIATION SESSION HELD
Contract negotiations advanced with the union and the state presenting opening postions before a mediator on Wednesday, March 8^th.  A&R continues to maintain that there can be little meaningful progress if the state continues its hard-line stance seeking to gut our contract.  The state has put forward 96 separate proposals which, if all were adopted, would eliminate most of your basic contractual rights.

For example, you may recall that the state proposes the complete elimination of out-of-state travel reimbursements - in their entirety!  Yup.  The state's expectation is that when they assign you out-of-state work that you will pay for the airfare, the hotel, the meals - everything - without any reimbursement.  Obviously we take issue with such nonsensical proposals.  We will continue to bargain in good faith, while insisting that our members be treated with dignity and respect at the bargaining table.  Our next mediation session is scheduled for March 27^th, where we expect to delve into specific language issues.

OUR APPROACH TO NEGOTIATIONS
Wage freezes and pay cuts are not the same thing!  It is our contention that no member should take a pay cut as a result of a contract extension agreement.  At issue is the state's insistence that Top Step Payments are to be forfeited while we are negotiating the successor agreement.  This means that those who received the Top Step Payment the prior year are taking a 2.5% pay cut.  Plain and simple it is a pay cut.  This is unjust and not acceptable.  Whatever path contract negotiations take, recovering retroactive payment of the top step payment is and shall remain among our highest priories.

The amazing part is that the State has not come to an agreement with ANY of the unions.  As of July 1^st, 2016, near all of the unions, including A&R, were operating under an Extension Agreement.  Extension Agreements are guided by state statute which maintains the status quo until a successor agreement is reached.  Thus our position regarding pay cuts.  Whether through mediation, arbitration, or via agreement, we are and will continue to seek retroactive payments of the Top Step back to July 1^st, 2016 and we will continue to seek step increases as well.   This process has been long, but we cannot accept the positions the state has taken.  Further, we will not rush into a settlement which forgoes our short-term and long-term objectives.

There is going to be a State employee rally at the Legislative Office Building on March 24th.  There are over 60 bills aimed at State employees, many of which are expected to be put to a vote on March 24th.  Attached is the list of bills (many of them are duplicative); the bad bills are highlighted in yellow and the very bad bills are highlighted in red.

State employees must make a show of force to thwart these anti-labor bills.

Information about on immigration rights and what to do in the event of an ICE raid.

Know Your Rights http://14.osea.aft.org/files/know-your-rights.pdf

Know Your Rights (spanish)  http://14.osea.aft.org/files/know-your-rights-spanish.pdf

The MPTA issues a response to the Mt. Pleasant CSD community outlining its position with regard to the block schedule and ongoing contract negotiations. Although the MPTA does not want to use the community in our negotiations, many parents have asked us to keep them informed.

MPTA Letter to the Mt. Pleasant CSD Community, March 2017

In response to the district's letter to parents/community, the MPTA writes to its members setting the record straight.

MPTA Letter to its members

Transitioning from Black History Month to Women's History Month it is important to recognize the popular singer Rihanna who was named 2017 Harvard University Humanitarian of the Year.

Click here for PDF Version

March 2, 2017

RE:          Open Letter to State Representatives who opposed House Bill 338 (the backdoor approach to the Opportunity School District)

Dear Champion Legislators:

We wish to acknowledge and thank you for respecting the fact that Georgia voters resoundingly said NO to the Opportunity School District on the November 8^th ballot.

A common practice throughout history has been to overlook, marginalize or distort the role played by women and too many names have been forgotten, lost to the ages despite their importance.

As announced in our Winter 2017 Mid-Semester Update the AAFMCC Executive Board has appointed Rick Fenwick Jr. to fill the empty Member-At-Large position on the executive board.