A proposal by newly elected School Committee member Joe Heisler to save 10 positions by eliminating all cost of living increases for teachers went down in a 5-1 vote last night.Heisler made the motion at a meeting called especially for the purpose of discussing and adjusting the budget.
Heisler’s motion would take all reserves currently set aside for raises and put it into the salary line item for next year.The Schools are facing a budget gap that would require them to eliminate 15 positions.Some positions have been cut from full- to part-time status, so only 8 or 9 people will be left without a job.
“This is an extraordinary time,” Heisler said.“No one is getting raises; in fact people are being laid off all over.People are losing jobs. … Several other school districts have already gone ahead and agreed to freeze any cost of living [increase] agreements.”
Heisler stood alone in voting in favor, as several other members expressed concerns about the effect it could have on contract negotiations with the teachers, which are currently in their 18th month.Others said that by giving larger raises in the third year of the contract, as Heisler’s motion said they consider, would potentially result in even more painful cuts further down the line.
Committee member Tracy Driscoll said that negotiations are ongoing with teachers, and thus they do not have a cost of living adjustment agreement which they can freeze.If the negotiations end with anything besides a 0% increase, she said then it would be much more expensive later.
“It would be a fear that you are setting yourself up for a far more uncontrollable budget in the future,” Driscoll said.
Heisler said he had contacted the union to inform them of his plans, and offered “an olive branch” to them by giving “due consideration” to making up for two years of 0% increases with a larger raise in the third year.
“That was offered… to reach out to teachers to say, ‘Look, we value you. We do value you, but this is a time when we all need to make a little sacrifice,’” Heisler said.“And if you wiling join us, we will give it due consideration.”
Tim Dwyer, president of the Dedham Education Association, said his union would be open to discussing Heisler’s proposal.
“Any layoffs would be terrible,” Dwyer said.“We want to do everything we can to keep our friends and colleagues at work.”
Dwyer added that he would want burdens to be shared equitably between teachers and management. Dwyer said he did not begrudge anyone making a fair living, but to give increases to the administration while asking teachers to make sacrifices would be unfair.
In January the Committee signed a deal giving Superintendent June Doe a flat sum raise for the current year and a minimum of 2% raise for each of the next two years, with an additional increase possible.The Committee has also reached deals with unions representing assistant principals and directors, janitors, and secretaries giving them 4.5% over three years.The teachers union is much larger than all other unions combined.
Committee member Tom Ryan said that he appreciated Heisler’s effort to save jobs, but because the motion affected collective bargaining that he had to oppose it.Committee member John Healy agreed, saying that it could be construed as negotiating in bad faith to take reserves set aside for raises and use them elsewhere.
Heisler responded by saying that the results of the last election, in which Heisler and newly elected Committee member Kevin Coughlin topped the ticket and defeated two incumbents, showed that voters were looking for bold action.
“I don’t think this spoils the stew.I think we need to talk more openly about the fact that no one has been able to come to an agreement,” Heisler said.“There has been a reluctance to talking about this for fear of somehow alienating the unions.
“Well, I’m sorry....Nothing personal, but this is helping to save some of your brethren, your fellow working members of your own labor union.If you can’t agree to this and support it, well shame on you,” Heisler said.
Teachers are currently in their second school year without a contract.There has not been a negotiation in over a month, and no future talks have been scheduled.Superintendent June Doe was attending the all schools band concert last night and did not attend the meeting.
Taking reserves from previous years would require a vote of Town Meeting.Town Administrator Bill Keegan could not be reached for comment on whether he would support reappropriating funds set aside for raises to maintain positions.
