Word is spreading in Harford County Public Schools that a possible 2-day furlough for employees is being negotiated now by representatives of the Harford County Board of Education and the Harford County Education Association (HCEA). While local funding for the school system’s operations is expected to remain flat for next year, state operating funds are expected to decline by at least $3.2 million, creating a need for cost savings.
Sources not involved in the negotiations say that if the furlough days do occur, they would likely include all employees and not be limited to teachers. Unlike Harford County Government, which may shut down for up to 5 furlough days next year, sources say that Harford County Public Schools would not shut down on days when students are supposed to be in school (sorry, kids). Rather, the days could be taken during paid professional development when students are off, but teachers and other employees are normally on duty.
Currently, neither side in the ongoing negotiations is talking. HCEA President Randy Cerveny said both sides had agreed not to comment publicly and was surprised that an ABC2News report said the school board was considering the furloughs.
Officially, Harford County Public Schools released the following statement:
The Board of Education of Harford County is currently involved in a collective bargaining process with the Harford County Educator’s Association. We cannot discuss details of the negotiation process at this time.
Cerveny also said that he had asked teachers to come out to the school board meeting tonight (Monday), but that it had “nothing to do with the negotiations”, it was about respect for the job teachers do. Cerveny said that teachers had “more and more put on their plate” without being given additional time and said teachers in general were “frustrated about the lack of input over the job they do day to day”.
There are no furloughs. It’s all a scare tactice. The HCEA is currently trying to recruit all teachers who are non-union members. Last week a letter went around trying to persuade teachers to join and mentioned furloughs as a recruiting strategy.
HCEA a union? I thought that since we are a right to work state teacher’s could not join a union just an association which they are required to pay a representation fee too? Maybe I am wrong.
Pretty much…..
All that I have been reading has strictly said that only harford county government employees are affected by the furloughs. From what I understand school board and sheriff’s office employees are not affected. What’s all the fuss about?
The County Executive’s plan did not effect HCPS or HCSO employees. Now HCPS wants to do their own furloughs, because the historic increase they received last year, and the increase they received this year, apparently isn’t enough to pay teachers or to keep proper learning materials in classrooms.
Teachers–save $65 a month! Leave HCEA.
one can not leave HCEA you are required to pay a representation fee!
Not to mention without HCEA there is no collective bargining and it would cost county tax payers more to negiotate every individual contract!
You can leave the union anytime you wish. And as previously stated, save yourself 65$ a month. So, take advantage of your own stimulus package.
The HCEA is powerless! They need money to have fancy banquets for their so called “lobbying efforts”. I used to live in Annapolis. During Legislative Session the MSTA used to rent out the top floor at Browns Tavern all the time. It was great, I had a girlfriend who worked there. She would bring me home lobster, crabckes, prime rib….not to metion always an opn bar. Yup, those union reps really go all out in their self sacrifice to represent us. I don’t know how they do it? (sarcasm)
To all teachers, QUIT THE UNION!
Unions suck, look what it did to GM and Chrysler!
Cdev – what negotiations? How about handling it like the business world: HCPS advertises job openings with salary ranges; people apply for the jobs; those qualified get interviewed; managers make offers; interviewees accept or reject offers. Doesn’t cost a single dollar extra and produces employees with an incentive to excel.
One of the main reasons I never considered a teaching career is the sheer idiocy of collective bargaining in a “profession” that is controlled by unions. If I work harder and better than Coworker X, I deserve more than Coworker X, and in the real business world, I get more than Coworker X.
Observer HCEA is not a union. Teacher’s may not join a union in a right to work state. It is an association and it is mandatory to pay the fee of $28 per check for $5 more you get the $1,000,000 in liability insurance which is convienently the tort cap on suing a teacher.
Unfortunately when negotiating these contracts individually it would take more then the two people in human resources to do it. I guess you would have to pay them as well!
well, I’m a teacher and no one is taking 28.00 out of my pay check. I’ve been teaching 22 years. Never belonged to the union. Never paid for the union.
Maryland is not a right to work state