Well, just as things are winding down for most of you at the end of the year, things are winding up for some of us, especially the PFTCE Bargaining Team. Just to update and clarify: Furlough days DO and WILL have to be bargained with the unions.  This issue has NOT been brought to the bargaining table, yet. The “furlough days” talk has been heard as part of the budget that the Superintendent brought to the School Board, and which the Board approved yesterday, 6/8/09. This idea now must be brought to the unions for bargaining, so contrary to what you may have been led to believe, it’s not a done deal.

In other bargaining news, we had a session last Friday, 6/5/09.  The district came with counter proposals to our 5/6/09 proposals. The district’s answers to our proposals was a sweeping “NO” across the board to all of our proposals. So, PFTCE has given our opening position, and the district has given theirs—now the bargaining can begin. We will meet with the district again on 6/24/09, and we will continue to present our case. I know most of you will be away from your worksites for the summer, but we will continue to update you through email and our website, so keep checking. I’m hoping that this message will clear up the Furlough day confusion.  Look for further updates, soon.