IMPORTANT! Meetings to Discuss Possible Contract

MDEA members received an e-mail today from the MDEA office.  The e-mail is as follows:

 Dear Members,

As you know we have reached a tentative conceptual agreement with the district at our last mediation session.  We have two future dates to meet again to approve specific language so we can sign a tentative agreement we can share with our members.

I would like you to save some dates on your calendar to attend a general member information meeting where we will be able to explain the agreement, answer questions, and hear your concerns.  We understand that our elementary teachers have conferences during the time we are scheduling these meetings and we'll have at least one in the evening to help meet your availability.  By giving you the possible dates in advance we are hoping you can schedule these meetings and we'll have at least one in the evening to help meet your availability.  By giving you the possible dates in advance we are hoping you can schedule other commitments around these meetings.  We are hoping to get a large turnout at these meetings.

If we have a tentative agreement at our next mediation session on December 8, we will have a general meeting* on:

Wednesday, Dec 10 at 3:30

Thursday, Dec 11 at 6:00

Tuesday, Dec 16 at 3:30

We would vote to ratify on Wednesday, Dec 17 and Thursday Dec 18, 2008.

If we have a tentative agreement at our second mediation session on December 15, we'll have a general meeting on:

Tuesday, Dec 15 at 3:30

Wednesday, Dec 17 at 6:00

Tuesday, Jan 6 at 3:30

We will vote to ratify on Wednesday, Jan 7 and Thursday, Jan 8, 2009.

*Locations still to be determined

Election Update from Mike

Can you Spell Mandate?

If you haven’t already heard Gary and Sherry were overwhelming winners in yesterday’s election. The results are as follows with 206 of 206 precincts reporting.

Sherry Whitmarsh- 43,543 34.43%

Gary Eberhart- 41,208 32.58%

April Treece- 21,909 17.32%

Jeff Adams- 19,386 15.33%

We thought it would have been much closer. The most exciting aspect of this victory is the fact that our community is aware of the problems our district is facing and wants leadership that will address those problems instead of pretending they aren’t there. Our community listened to you when you made them aware of your concerns about the direction our district was headed and this vote shows they want a different approach to solving them.

This vote won’t change the effects of the state budget crisis, but hopefully it will change the environment and process in which the decisions that affect our lives will be made.

I truly feel that this election can be the first step in changing the current board majority’s priorities and cause them to re- examine the way they do business. They may realize that all stakeholders, especially their employees, need to have real buyin and input into the decisions being made. I’m also optimistic that the current top down management style will change and a better relationship will be a result.

I’d like to thank everyone who worked so hard on the campaign. It was your influence as teachers that made the difference when you contacted your friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. You are respected by the community and the results validated it. I’d also like to especially thank our phone bank captains and site reps that enabled us to complete the thousands of calls and contacts with the community during the campaign.

The phone captains gave up time to run the banks and support our callers. The reps motivated their staff to phone and walk precincts as well as organizing neighborhood walks and street demonstrations. When we work together, we can accomplish a lot. Thanks again.