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Home > Blogs > Springfield Schools News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > March > 10 > Entry
Tecumseh board, union to discuss grievance
There will be a public hearing on a grievance over the implementation of mid-year raises during tonight’s Tecumseh Local Schools board meeting.
Union leadership and district administration and board members will discuss the dispute in public session at the end of tonight’s 7 p.m. meeting, according to the board agenda.
Superintendent Jim Gay said the discussion would likely begin around 7:30 or 7:45 p.m.
The board and the union agreed to mid-year raises effective Jan. 1 during last year’s negotiations, said Gay. The strained negotiations extended past the prior contract’s expiration date and went into mediation before both sides struck a deal.
It included a 3 percent raise effective Jan. 1, 2009, which neither side disputes, said Gay.
What is at dispute is the implementation.
For non-school personnel, this is where it gets a little tricky.
Teachers are paid based on the number of days they work — in Tecumseh’s case, that’s 184 days from the end of August to the beginning of June.
But instead of only getting paychecks for 10 months, most teachers receive paychecks throughout the year. The 10 months of pay is just spread out across 12 months.
In most contracts I’ve seen raises like this were given retroactively but that isn’t the case here. So the mid-year part is where the problem comes in and it’s a little unusual.
Basically, according to Gay, the paychecks teachers are receiving now are slightly less than three percent more than a paycheck written in January. That’s because of the 184-day year being spread out over 365-days, said Gay.
Union officials believe it should be a three-percent increase over December paychecks, regardless of the timing of the raise.
Watch for more as this story develops.
Permalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment | Categories: Tecumseh Local Schools
Comments
By flipper
March 10, 2009 9:06 AM | Link to this
It’s basic math, you pay it on the 92nd day of school year. Which was probably about 2.5 months ago. This district is terrible when it comes to teacher salaries and benefits. The board and superintendent stall implementation at every opportunity. I have a relative who teaches in the district and most people would be appalled if they knew what goes on. Out and out lies and subversion from the administration at every level. The Ohio Education Association (OEA) reps are there frequently due to all of the grievances filed. New Carlisle should be looking for some honorable people to get involved with the school board. We used to have doctors, lawyers and respected businessmen on the board. Now, well……..By Citizen
March 10, 2009 10:17 AM | Link to this
They should be thankful they are still getting any kind of a raise this year. Not everyone is so fortunate this year, lots of employers are putting a freeze on raises when if their employees counted on it. Not to mention those employees who are having to take a reduction of 8-10% in their pay, and Tecumseh staff is complaining about how their 3% is being figured. Consider yourselves lucky considering the current economic times. School districts are just as unstable as everything else. Stop waisting resources and just be thankful to be employed right now.By DonnelsvilleGuy
March 10, 2009 11:03 AM | Link to this
Tecumseh district is radically overstaffed. The district needs a 10% across the board reduction in staff. The only folks getting pay raises this year are Congress and teachers. A 10% pay cut to keep their positions would be more appropriate. Exactly how are these raises to be paid for when property valuations are plummeting and the mood to raise local taxes is exactly zero?? Both sides show their ignorance as they argue over tenths of one percent and what day it begins - another black eye for the district!By Glad I did not Graduate from THS
March 10, 2009 2:03 PM | Link to this
I think a pay CUT would be in order also, when you look at the Idiot children they are turning loose after 12 years. Or maybe just fire Jim Gay and the principles, since they seem to feel they do not have any responsibility to the public at large..By Medway guy
March 10, 2009 2:13 PM | Link to this
lies and subversion, wow, it is like a soap opera!! way to much drama for a contract issue!! maybe the OEA reps are called because the teachers can’t read the contract negotiated!!By resident
March 10, 2009 3:36 PM | Link to this
Maybe the Tecumseh teachers would not be fight this issue if they had not taken 0% raises in the past? Maybe the outrageous raises that Dr. Gay has received each year have something to do with the teachers distrust of him and the board?By Lynn
March 11, 2009 6:06 PM | Link to this
Interestingly enough Medway Guy - you enjoyed the benefits of TEA membership when you were a Tecumseh employee. I attended the grievance hearing. The Tecumseh board was rude and disrespectful - some not even looking at the handouts provided by the teachers. It was clear the board had made their decision ahead of time. Regardless of the economic times, the board agreed to a 3% increase during negotiations. And the teachers are not getting it. That makes it a contract violation. The treasurer actually said if she adds their 0% for the first part of the year to the 3% for the second part of the year it would equal more than 3%. When the teachers asked to see that calculation, they were shut down by the assistant superintendent. Tecumseh is cheating each teacher out of a couple hundred dollars, while giving the Superintendent and Treasurer $10,000 increases. And in case the Tecumseh board didn’t notice, the room was full of high school students - all future voters.By tiredofteacherbashers
March 11, 2009 10:27 PM | Link to this
The Tecumseh teachers are grateful for their jobs and do their best EVERY day. What is being disputed is the fact that the board is not paying the teachers what was agreed to! If times were tough, the board should not have agreed to the increase. Cheating the formula is low - I bet the formula used to calculate Dr. Gay and Ms. Decker’s $10000 pay increase was correct!!!!!By tired of teacher bashers
March 12, 2009 8:13 AM | Link to this
Hey Medway guy, wasn’t sending emails what got you in trouble in the first place at Tecumseh High School? I would check the email you give - Coach!By fred
March 13, 2009 8:07 PM | Link to this
Medway guy… er, I mean coach… did you send your e*mail from the Xenia High clinic???By medway guy
March 17, 2009 1:33 PM | Link to this
I am not hiding here nor was I there. I don’t know where the clinic comment comes from but no, e-mails had nothing to do with my leaving.By Donnelsville guy
March 17, 2009 1:53 PM | Link to this
There are many people who don’t hide. You just are not one of themBy Donnelsville guy
March 17, 2009 1:53 PM | Link to this
There are many people who don’t hide. You just are not one of them