Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Livonianeighbors.com. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. To ensure your privacy, never use personal information in your screen name or email address ("janedoe@hotmail.com" or "Billysmom" for example).

Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
One-year contract settlement; Retirement Incentive
Topic Started: Feb 8 2008, 09:54 PM (3,428 Views)
Mrs.M
Veteran
http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...EWS10/80208022/
Livonia teachers get retirement incentive offer in new contract
By Rebecca Jones


For the second year, Livonia Public Schools will offer an early retirement incentive.

That is part of a new one-year contract settlement with the Livonia Education Association, which members ratified last week and the school board approved on Wednesday.

The contract also provides for members at the top of the pay scale to receive a 1 percent raise. Those who are working their way up the experience steps will receive a half-step increase each semester, instead of one full step increase at the beginning of the year.

Also for the first time, LEA members will be offered a $2,500 a year payment in lieu of health care, if they opt to get coverage elsewhere. There were no other changes to health coverage.

The changes will save the district money, said Supt. Randy Liepa, who called it “a fair contract for both sides.”

LEA members voted 658 to 138 to ratify the agreement. There were 60 spoiled votes, the result of ballot envelopes not being signed or sealed properly. The LEA is comprised of about 1,200 members; the vast majority are K-12 teachers.

Douglas Coates, a math teacher at Churchill High School, served as the LEA’s chief negotiator. He called the contract “good for the union as a whole.”

“The fact that the contract keeps our insurance benefits the same is very positive for our members,” he said, adding that it preserves jobs and educational stability.

Some high school classes that are required under the new state graduation requirements, now have a maximum of 25 students, instead of 35.

“We believe both sides had mutual respect for each other,” Coates said. Talks began in December, and the two sides came to a tentative agreement in January.
The school board voted 6-1 at a special meeting Wednesday, with Trustee Steve King voting no.

The new contract has a new step scale for new teachers. New hires will start one rung lower; it will take an additional year to reach the top of the pay scale.

Rawland Storm, who is one of the district’s shared-time teachers who provide instruction in private schools, complained that teachers in the shared-time and Young 5’s programs do not get step increases.

“We’re making as much as the new hires,” he said. But, he said the programs bring in state money by adding to the number full time equivalent students. “Some of that could have gone to us to pay our steps,” he said.

Coates said that in negotiating a one-year contract, some issues were set aside. “We agreed to continue to work on those in the future,” he said.
LPS projects the trend in enrollment decline to continue.

Liepa said the early retirement incentive reduces the potential for layoffs and saves money by replacing teachers at the top of the pay scale with those at the bottom.
This year’s incentive is for $30,000 over three years.

The district is hoping at least 30 teachers will take advantage of this move.
Enrollment will determine how many teachers are needed. Last year, about 100 teachers took advantage of the district’s early retirement initiative, which paid out $40,000 over four years. About half were replaced.

rrjones@hometownlife.com | (734) 953-2054

I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be WRONG.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User

No surprises here :( . Let the spinning wheels spin. Student loss is the driving force here, and it will only get worse. I have a good idea why.
Quote Post Goto Top
 
al dente
Member
[ *  * ]
Overall, sounds like a favorable contract for teachers. $2,500 is a lot of dough to give up health insurance. I got an extra $40.00 a month in my paycheck when I took my spouses insurance.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Micki
I love teaching.
al dente
Feb 8 2008, 10:14 PM
Overall, sounds like a favorable contract for teachers. $2,500 is a lot of dough to give up health insurance. I got an extra $40.00 a month in my paycheck when I took my spouses insurance.

I am glad that the teachers came to some type of agreement. To me a year contract is quite scary. The 2500 may change next year. As for you only getting $40 a month, perhaps you should ask your union to work harder for you or go to your boss or do what you need to do to better your situation instead of begrudging someone else. We all have the power to change things in our own lives and for the better if we try. I know, we have had to do it many times.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User

For those laid off teachers looking for a job, I would try Plymouth-Canton. Here is the link.

http://www.pccs.k12.mi.us/employment/default.asp


Quote Post Goto Top
 
IDK
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Have you heard that PC is hiring?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User

I know the superintendents job is open.
Quote Post Goto Top
 
Vanna White
Member Avatar
Veteran
It doesn't sound like LPS is laying off. They are paying people to leave. $30,000 of our tax dollars per person (on top of the state retirement,) to be exact. I certainly hope we don't see teachers taking that and then going to work in a neighboring district.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Micki
I love teaching.
Jimid
Feb 9 2008, 08:11 AM
For those laid off teachers looking for a job, I would try Plymouth-Canton. Here is the link.

http://www.pccs.k12.mi.us/employment/default.asp

That was nice of you to post that. Layoff's are certainly stressful. I remember last year when I was laid off, I didn't get a call back until the end of July. I applied in other districts and as a seasoned teacher with excellent credentials I could not get an interview because they had over 1000 applicants per job and were only going by word of mouth for interviews. In addition, I called other states and was offered positions over the phone. It is a scary time to be a new teacher in Michigan.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
IDK
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Vanna White
Feb 9 2008, 09:19 AM
It doesn't sound like LPS is laying off.  They are paying people to leave.  $30,000 of our tax dollars per person (on top of the state retirement,) to be exact.  I certainly hope we don't see teachers taking that and then going to work in a neighboring district.

Around work it does sound like people are going to be laid off. Depends on where (grade level) you teach. They are paying people to leave to reduce payroll. I hope it also avoids layoffs.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Micki
I love teaching.
I wouldn't be surprised. When you hear there will be a buy out it usually correlates with lay offs. My friend has been laid off in Livonia for 2 years. It is crazy.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
LPS Reformer
Member Avatar
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
IDK
Feb 9 2008, 11:23 AM
Vanna White
Feb 9 2008, 09:19 AM
It doesn't sound like LPS is laying off.  They are paying people to leave.  $30,000 of our tax dollars per person (on top of the state retirement,) to be exact.  I certainly hope we don't see teachers taking that and then going to work in a neighboring district.

Around work it does sound like people are going to be laid off. Depends on where (grade level) you teach. They are paying people to leave to reduce payroll. I hope it also avoids layoffs.

And yet the non-teaching positions are making up an ever increasing percentage of the LPS workforce.
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people....
----Randy Liepa 8/9/12
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
LPS Reformer
Member Avatar
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
Teachers are in very high demand. It just depends on what you teach, and were. The Feds actually have report out on were to go depending on yous skills.

Link
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people....
----Randy Liepa 8/9/12
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Nikki
Veteran
In other fields, where the supply exceeds the demand, pay and benefits decrease.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Vanna White
Member Avatar
Veteran
LPS Reformer
Feb 9 2008, 11:28 AM
IDK
Feb 9 2008, 11:23 AM
Vanna White
Feb 9 2008, 09:19 AM
It doesn't sound like LPS is laying off.  They are paying people to leave.  $30,000 of our tax dollars per person (on top of the state retirement,) to be exact.  I certainly hope we don't see teachers taking that and then going to work in a neighboring district.

Around work it does sound like people are going to be laid off. Depends on where (grade level) you teach. They are paying people to leave to reduce payroll. I hope it also avoids layoffs.

And yet the non-teaching positions are making up an ever increasing percentage of the LPS workforce.

We can thank the LI for that...replacing teachers with bus drivers "for kids' sake."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
LPS Reformer
Member Avatar
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
It is interesting to see how we compare with the surrounding districts. The variance between districts is huge.

Posted Image
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people....
----Randy Liepa 8/9/12
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User

IDK
Feb 9 2008, 11:23 AM
Vanna White
Feb 9 2008, 09:19 AM
It doesn't sound like LPS is laying off.  They are paying people to leave.  $30,000 of our tax dollars per person (on top of the state retirement,) to be exact.  I certainly hope we don't see teachers taking that and then going to work in a neighboring district.

Around work it does sound like people are going to be laid off. Depends on where (grade level) you teach. They are paying people to leave to reduce payroll. I hope it also avoids layoffs.

Something has to give. You CAN NOT keep spending our kids money like this. Enrollment will only get worse, and parents are not going to stand for taking more from our classrooms. It kind of sucks to find out that you can't afford all that transportation cost, doesn't it? When are we all going to be forced to drive our kids 5 miles to school?
Quote Post Goto Top
 
LPS Reformer
Member Avatar
The schools exist to educate, not employ.
If they reduced the support employees down to Canton levels, we wouldn't need to lay off teachers. Of course, that's a lot of unhappy friends and family. ;)
“Child Abuse” means different things to different people....
----Randy Liepa 8/9/12
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Micki
I love teaching.
LPS Reformer
Feb 9 2008, 11:33 AM
Teachers are in very high demand. It just depends on what you teach, and were. The Feds actually have report out on were to go depending on yous skills.

Link

I agree they are in high demand in other states.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Queen of Hearts
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Vanna White
Feb 9 2008, 10:19 AM
It doesn't sound like LPS is laying off. They are paying people to leave. $30,000 of our tax dollars per person (on top of the state retirement,) to be exact. I certainly hope we don't see teachers taking that and then going to work in a neighboring district.

I don't believe you can do that. I think that if you retire you cannot work as an employee of another school district in the state. You can however work as a consultant, or leave the state and teach elsewhere.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · Livonia Neighbors Forum · Next Topic »
Add Reply