3 Weekends before the end

So here is the tale in emails...
5/27 From our CEA President:

CEA Members:
Today, CEA representatives met with District representatives ***, Assistant Superintendent/HR Director; ***, Business Manager; and **, incoming HR Director.
When we met today, the District made a proposal based on a two-year extension of our contract (to end June 2013) including:
Salary offer spreading the 4% cost of living adjustment (COLA) over the next 3 years.
Insurance increases consistent with current contract ($1130 in 2010-11; $1230 in 2011-12; $1330 in 2012-13)
They stated that the savings in salary under any agreement would go directly to maintain employee jobs within the CEA membership.
Upon discussion, CEA returned with a counter proposal based on a one-year extension of our contract (to end June 2012) including:
Salary offer spreading the 4% cost of living adjustment (COLA) over the next 2 years.
Reduce work days from 192 to 191 for the next 2 years.
Insurance increases consistent with current contract ($1130 in 2010-11; $1230 in 2011-12)
The CEA proposal would save a significant number of positions, as the savings over 2 years for the District would be more than 1.4 million dollars.
The District intends to discuss our proposal with the Board on Wednesday evening and will be communicating back with CEA Representatives on Thursday morning. If the Board accepts our proposal, CEA will begin its ratification process.
In accordance with CEA bylaws, because the contract has not been opened, this amendment would need to be approved by the East County Bargaining Council and ratified by CEA Executive Council. The earliest this could be completed is June 2nd.
We will communicate with you as information becomes available. If you have comments or concerns, please feel free to share them with your building representative or------ 0 false false false

From our Superintendent on 5/27--

Dear staff members,

I know many of you have questions in light of the governor’s request for a 9 percent cut across all state agencies. Tuesday’s announcement was prompted by the state economist’s June forecast that Oregon has a $562.6 million projected shortfall for this biennium.

This news is very disconcerting to everyone. It leaves everything in a state of flux, including an agreement the board was considering with CEA Wednesday night that would have saved some jobs. The Board appreciates ongoing dialogue with CEA and hopes for more.

Because the numbers are quite staggering and the announcement is so new, we need to let the dust settle and see how the statewide reduction plays out before making final decisions about what we will do. The board was not comfortable approving the CEA offer last night in light of the even larger hole in the budget the district has now been informed it faces.

The initial estimates amount to a $2.7 million cut for Centennial on top of the $3.9 million already cut in the proposed 2010-11 budget. This is equivalent to an additional 37 teachers or 15 days of school.

At this point, I do not think this problem will be solved by the end of school year as we had hoped. No matter what happens in the short-term, this is a long-term problem affecting the entire state and many other states in the nation. According to the Governor, we are facing the possibility of 10 years of budget shortfalls unless significant changes occur.

We will keep you informed as the situation evolves and try to lessen the uncertainty as best we can. These are difficult times, and I am sad that I have to be the bearer of more unwanted news. Irrespective of this situation, I have faith in you. I know you are all doing your best in keeping your focus on our students.

Respectfully--

What is hilarious to me is that since the end of last year, our district has been projecting the shortfall of the ridiculous Oregon budget.
What this boils down to is a giant clusterfuck. The district is mad at the last bargaining arrangement they came to with our union. So, they refused to accept our agreement to help save jobs under the guise that the "government made them do it."
Basically, our union tried to accommodate everyone--the asshole teachers who didn't want a pay freeze to save teachers' jobs, AND the district who told our union that they "weren't interested in creative solutions" to the budget issue.
I hate public education. I hate unions. I am grouchy and on edge, and my colleagues consistently tell me that i should lighten up and cheer up--of course they are the ones whose jobs AREN'T in danger of being cut.
I won't know if I have a job until the school year is over (I am 98% sure I won't have a job anyway), while everyone else can have a happy summer of relaxation, I will be wondering where I will be in the fall.

I know that it is out of my control. This post will be the last I will dwell on the matter. I want to finish this year, enjoy my students, and try my best to not let others get to me. It is so hard though. When it is so beyond obvious that the students' best interests aren't what is important (if it was, our administration wouldn't have a $35,000 iPhone budget--yep--one teacher's salary for phones).

I could just really REALLY use some good news.