MAY 2014 VOL. 52 — NO. 8 DFT Wins Major Arbitration n arbitrator has ruled that approxi - agreed," Johnson said. them address their financial crisis. mately 82 DFT members who In addition, the arbitrator chastised the "While we had no doubt we would pre - Awere terminated by the school dis - district for imposing "double jeopardy." In vail," Johnson said, "it was extremely grat - trict are entitled to receive their Termina - other words, the district penalized the ifying for the arbitrator to acknowledge tion Incentive Plan (TIP) reimbursement. members twice, by taking their jobs and the sacrifice our members made in order The 82 members will get the $9,000 then taking the money that would help help the district return to solvency." they loaned the district. The decision is final and binding and the arbitrator or - dered the affected members to be paid in 30 days. Had the membership not ap - DFT Pushes College Readiness proved the contract last year, the district would have the right to appeal and an ulti - mate victory and payments to members would be delayed indefinitely. The DFT filed a grievance after the dis - trict said it didn't owe members who were terminated. The union maintained that the TIP money was simply a loan by its em - ployees to be repaid when they left the dis - trict. The union agreed to the TIP in the 2009 contract in order to help the district's deficit and avoid a 10 percent pay cut. The DFT tried to persuade the district to pay the members but the district refused, despite former DPS Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb testifying for the DFT. Bobb told Arbitrator David Tanzman It's not always enough to teach high "I thought I wanted to be a doctor, but that he never meant to exclude anyone school students the skills to pull in good now I'm not sure," said a Cody junior. who left the district from their TIP money. grades and score high on the ACT. They Studies show a high rate of urban students "The TIP account was never intended to have to think about a college that suits taking on debt yet leaving college before be an unretrievable contribution to the dis - their interests, personality, and wallet. getting a degree. The DFT is trying to trict," Tanzman wrote in his opinion. "It So DFT leaders secured a program help high school students choose a college was in effect a loan." from the American Federation of Teach - that fits in the beginning with their inter - The original grievance was filed by ers to help Detroit Public School juniors ests, affordability, and graduation rates. DFT President Keith Johnson on behalf of find colleges that are invested in student "I chose a college that was not right the teachers, most of whom were termi - success. Edna Reaves, DFT executive for me," DFT executive vice president nated due to expired certificates, not viola - vice president, worked to get 13,000 Edna Reaves told the students. "I don't tions of district policies. They were told by booklets to Detroit juniors to get them on want you to make the same mistake." DPS they were not entitled to their TIP the path to college readiness. Reaves started at Northwood Institute in money because they did not retire or re - Several students a Cody High School Midland and then transferred to Eastern sign. with the help of counselor Tracey Penick Michigan University. "It was never negotiated or agreed that even changed their major when they All of these efforts, Reaves said, are terminated employees would not receive went through the program and the book - the DFT's effort to reclaim the promise their TIP money back, and the arbitrator let "Which college is right for you?" of public education. Page 2 Detroit Teacher May 2014 DFT'S ARBITRATION VICTORY IS SATISFYING BUT FRUSTRATING nce again the DFT scored a demonstrate that written agreements luctance to make members whole. major victory against DPS. are enforceable and we will enforce While it is true the state legislature OAn arbitrator ruled emphati - them. We continue to demonstrate has eliminated many of the subjects cally that the district did not have the that Emergency Manager or not, of bargaining, the Public Employees right to withhold Termination Incen - DPS will not do whatever it wants to Relations Act (PERA) still provides tive Plan (TIP) reimbursement to our members when there is written the DFT and other teacher unions DFT members who were terminated, word to the contrary. with the enforcement power we need regardless of the reason for the termi - The pervasive attitude of distrust, to protect the rights of those we rep - nation. indignity, and arrogance in the dis - resent. trict's labor department is costly to Neither the legislature nor the dis - DPS and DFT. Just in recent times trict will deter us from our duty to ef - President’s Report we have defeated DPS on issues such fectively and decisively represent as: issuing layoff notices long after and protect the rights of our mem - Keith the deadline, improper layoffs, pay - bers. ing teachers as substitutes when they I write this not to gloat over our Johnson were in vacancies for which they consistent victories but in the hope were certified, unjust discipline, im - DPS will eventually understand that posing a change in salary and work - where we come from, our word is ing conditions not negotiated. And of our bond. We hope the district will course we defeated the district on the honor their word and, when called This latest victory continues a pat - flawed and fraudulent teacher evalu - on, take corrective action rather than tern of successful challenges by the ations that resulted in 422 members engaging in unwinnable battles. DFT to actions the district has taken getting laid off. When it comes to doing right by against our members, whether it was Too often the only time DPS wants our members, we will continue to a violation of the contract or viola - to enforce the contract is when it emphatically protect and enforce the tions of labor laws. works against our members. Even rights of our membership. Resistance Don't get me wrong, I certainly am more frustrating is when the district is futile. not complaining about continuing to attempts to find justification for their defeat DPS when our members' violations. Or, when there are moni - rights are violated. We continue to tory awards, DPS has tried to offer demonstrate our strength and viabil - settlements of 50 cents on the dollar. ity as a union. We continue to This is an admission of guilt but a re - The Detroit Teacher is the official publication of the Detroit Federation of Teachers, American Federation of Teachers Local 231, AFL-CIO. Member of the Union Teacher Press Association, Inter national Labor Press Association & Michigan Labor Press. Editor — Margaret Weertz [email protected] 313-875-6776 May 2014 The Detroit Teacher Page 3 Updates . Detroit Public Schools Has a Cellist Yo-Yo Ma New Payroll Visits Spain Reporting System By Edna Reaves, School Executive Vice President World renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma brought his extraordinary talent to Detroit and played with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra he district recently launched its upgraded PeopleSoft pay - April 9. The next day he stopped at Spain School to improvise roll reporting system. Many of our members have not no - with students in the classrooms of teachers Kimberly Legreair Tticed the change because secretaries have worked and Kathy Aaron. laboriously with limited training to make sure they have reported Accompanying Ma was a keyboardist and bagpipe player, a your time correctly. I commend all the members of the Detroit As - ballet dancer, an impressionist dancer and a violinist. They col - sociation of Educational Office Employees for their diligence in laborated with students to show the art of improvising and cre - this matter. ating art. Many of them formed teams and sup - "When I collaborate," Ma told the students, "I don't feel port systems with each other to ensure scared. I can rely on other people." that their coworkers' time was reported Ma and ballet dancer Damian Woetzel founded a youth pro - correctly. There were a few glitches, but gram with the Aspen Institute Arts Program. They reach out to because of DAEOE’s team work, errors schools and teach students to take risks, even make mistakes, and were minimal. get comfortable with things not working out the first time. Although many of the changes to the system are designed to enhance the Fourth-grader Kurniecia Jackson smiled watching the action. functionality of the payroll reporting Ma, a child prodigy who played for Presidents Dwight Eisen - system, I am concerned about the im - hower and John Kennedy when he was five-years-old, relished Edna Reaves letting loose with the students. He wanted to underscore the im - pact on our substitute teachers. Substi - portance of risk and creativity. tute teachers should monitor their self service accounts weekly. Time reporting for substitute teachers is tied to Subfinder. "That's part of learning, to ask the question," Ma said. "It's When you accept your assignment, it should post in PeopleSoft not to get the right question, it's to become curious." immediately. But the principal of your reporting school must Ma said he was impressed with Spain's orchestra and the work approve your time to verify that you actually worked in that in the classrooms. Principal Ron Alexander said it was a great building on a given day. day at Spain with Ma and his entourage spending several hours What happens when you have a problem with your pay? The working with students.