Member Update

As you may know, the WCPS has posted a proposed budget for the BOE’s consideration on the WCPS website. Further, you may be familiar with the provisions of this proposal, especially the inclusion of a “0/0”, which indicates the WCPS’ desire to implement a budget with zero raise and zero steps for the upcoming 2010-11 school year.*

The WCTA does not support this proposal.

First, please bear in mind that this proposed budget item is not a negotiated salary item.

Second, please bear in mind that the BOE has an obligation under both Maryland law and the BOE’s own ethics code that mandates the WCPS and the BOE to work with the WCTA in order to fully fund the 3% salary increase that the WCTA negotiated on your behalf for the upcoming school year.

Both state law and the ethics regulations are very clear: the BOE is obligated to honor our negotiated agreement, in full. This means that the WCTA has not (and will not) negotiate any salary increase other than what stands in your contract unless the appropriate fiscal authority (i.e. County Commissioners) indicate that there is a funding shortfall. If such a shortfall is determined, then the WCTA will renegotiate your future salary increases.

However, such a shortfall has not been determined and the WCTA is fiercely dedicated to protecting your rights by refusing to renegotiate any of your benefits in the absence of a legitimate funding shortfall.

The WCTA expects for the BOE to honor its obligations to fulfill our negotiated agreement, including our negotiated salary increases on your behalf, in full. Thank you for your support of the WCTA.

-T. Scott Miller
Washington County UniServ Director and WCTA Chief Negotiator

*Thanks to WCTA Negotiations Chair Jeff Farr for compiling this information.
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Authority

Annotated Code of Maryland (Article 6, Sec. 511):
“If the fiscal authority does not approve enough funds to implement the negotiated agreement, the public school employer shall renegotiate the funds allocated for these purposes by the fiscal authority with the employee organization before the public school employer makes a final determination in accordance with the timetable and procedure established by the State Board.”

American Association of School Administrator’s Statement of Ethics for Educational Leaders (BBFE-E(2)(10):
“The educational leader subscribes to the following statements of standards (and shall) [h]onor all contracts until fulfillment, release, or dissolution mutually agreed upon by all parties.”