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| Schools would have to privatize services under new bill; MLive- March 2, 2011 | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 4 2011, 09:42 PM (1,102 Views) | |
| Administrator | Mar 4 2011, 09:42 PM Post #1 |
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Schools would have to privatize services under new bill Public schools and intermediate school districts would no longer be able to directly hire transportation, food and custodial services under a bill being discussed by the House Education Committee today. Introduced by Rep. David Agema, R-Grandville, the bill would require schools to enter into contracts with private providers for those services by next June. FILE | THE FLINT JOURNALA Flint School District bus driver checks the oil on her bus before leaving the Flint bus facility in this 2010 photo. Under a proposed bill, schools like Flint would be required to bid out work like transportation services to private contractors. According to a House Fiscal Agency analysis of the bill: "While privatization of certain non-instructional services and competitive bidding may allow districts to find savings, many districts have already moved in this direction when savings are to be found." The analysis goes on to say that, in some cases, competitive bidding can cost more for districts. Some area schools have already made moves toward privatization, but not without opponents. http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2011/03/schools_would_have_to_privatiz.html |
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| Deleted User | Apr 16 2011, 02:48 PM Post #2 |
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South Redford schools bidding out non-teaching jobs Bus drivers make their case Photo of burning bus? http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20110416/NEWS16/110416010/South-Redford-schools-bidding-out-non-teaching-jobs?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|Frontpage South Redford bus drivers recently spent a day training for all kinds of scenarios, including emergency evacuation procedures. The school district is going out for bids and may privatize busing. South Redford school district is seeking bids for busing, custodial, maintenance and other non-instructional employees. “We need to get as much information as we can to make good decisions,” South Redford Supt. Brian Galdes said. “It is certainly a difficult thing to do. And I want to be clear — we aren’t saying we are privatizing any of these groups (of workers) and we aren’t saying that we won’t privatize. What we are doing is getting information so we make good decisions.” South Redford recently issued pink slips to 19 teachers — a move that would save $1.09 million if the layoffs stick. But district officials say they would have to cut another $4 million if Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget proposal is adopted as is. As daunting as that prospect is, South Redford and other districts have to plan for a worst-case scenario or risk being unprepared. “It’s about getting good information. That’s where we are at right now,” Galdes said. In February, the Farmington Board of Education authorized the district to seek bids from area firms for a range of support services that include transportation, custodial, maintenance, grounds, snow removal and nutrition services. The unions were invited to bid on the services as well, but it hasn’t gone smoothly, with a recent protest outside the school board offices. There has been no such controversy in South Redford. “I don’t think our parents even know about it,” said Annita Kakaley, a bus driver for 18 years. “What they are saying is you’re not worth it because you’re just a bus driver. They should know I take care of those children like they are my own.” Kakaley drives a special-needs bus for 13 students, all of whom have limited communication skills. Four of them also use a wheelchair. “We have the most safety-sensitive job besides an EMS worker,” Kakaley said. “I know what we do is important to those families.” Galdes said the decision to seek bids was difficult but necessary given the budget situation facing South Redford. He was asked at a Board of Education meeting if combining transportation services with Redford Union made sense. “We looked at it, but there wasn’t much savings at all,” Galdes said. South Redford has 16 bus drivers who are under union contract until 2012. They are paid two different wages. Senior drivers make $18 an hour plus benefits, while those with less experience make $11 an hour. “We already pay more for health care and we’ve given concessions every year,” Kakaley said. “And some of those districts that did privatize found out the savings weren’t there.” Board of Education Trustee Tom Dowdy asked that special consideration be given even if the bids reflect possible savings. “I would certainly hope any savings would be offered to our current workers,” Dowdy said, effectively asking if current workers could match the lowest bid and keep their jobs. Galdes said the district has to follow a legal bidding process and once all the bids come in, the board can discuss it further. “I don’t have a timeline because we just don’t have the information,” Galdes said. http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20110416/NEWS16/110416010/South-Redford-schools-bidding-out-non-teaching-jobs?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|Frontpage |
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| Deleted User | Apr 16 2011, 04:54 PM Post #3 |
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Farmington Public Schools unions rally against privatization Apr 14, 2011 | 24 Comments Farmington Public Schools union employees rallied against privatization before Tuesday's school board meeting. Written by Stacy Jenkins OBSERVER STAFF WRITER Many turned out to walk on the sidewalk with signs in front of North Farmington High School to express their views about outsourcing support services. Luigi “Lu” Battaglieri, executive director of the Michigan Education Association, said the issue isn't about money, it's about “union busting.” Oakland County Commissioner Jim Nash, of Farmington Hills, joined in Tuesday's rally against privatizing support services in Farmington Public Schools. Hundreds carried signs of protest during a rally to save Farmington Public Schools support services jobs and let the school board and administration know that they are very much against the idea of privatizing those services. Bus drivers, custodians, food service workers and other support staff of the Farmington Public Schools district made a bold statement Tuesday evening outside of North Farmington High School, where the school board held its meeting. Wearing red shirts and carrying signs, hundreds of union employees protested the school district's consideration to privatize support services. The district is looking at ways to save money, as deeper cuts loom in the 2011-12 year. In February, the Board of Education authorized the district to seek bids from area firms for a range of support services that include transportation, custodial, maintenance, grounds, snow removal and nutrition services. The unions were invited to bid on the services as well. The district has said that based upon the experience of other districts, subcontracting support services may save about $4 million per year. The school board was not scheduled to discuss the issue tonight, but members of the unions wanted to be sure board members know where they stand. “The loss of experience, the loss of quality that parents have come to expect will no longer exist,” said Rick Green, president of the coordinating council representing FPS unions. “It will be a corporate entity, not a community.” Luigi “Lu” Battaglieri, executive director of the Michigan Education Association, spoke during the rally, saying, “this is nonsense.” He said it's not about the money, but something else that is going on around the country. “This is about union busting,” he said, noting FPS union workers have 130,000 others across the state of Michigan who are supportive of their efforts to fight privatization. Standing far from the cheers was Farmington Hills resident Sue Burstein-Kahn, who marked up one of the protest signs to say “Yes” to privatization. She may have been the lone pro-privatization person in the area, but she said she's certainly not alone in her views. She said Farmington Public Schools' union employees need to wake up and realize the happy days are over, and everyone has to pay their share. She said they should be able to negotiate their own jobs, like everyone else in the non-union workforce. “This is the real world,” she said. “They have no answers, but they want it all. I don't blame the teachers, I blame the unions.” The Farmington Coordinating Council, MEA-NEA, sent literature around the community, pointing out that privatization would mean major job loss in the community because many employees also live in the district. And, they said because their employees live in the community, they care about the students and the district. “In order for private companies to make a profit, they pay their employees lower wages with no benefits,” according to the flier. “The result will be a rapid turnover of employees who do not live in Farmington or Farmington Hills. These new employees will have little interest or concern about our community and the school district.” Kimberly Ganzeveld, Farmington Transportation Association president, is a bus driver who also lives in Farmington Hills. “We're an important part of this community and we don't want this to happen,” she said. The rally participants moved inside the school and dozens filled out request cards to speak directly to the school board. Many emphasized that hiring outside companies to perform the services would change the caring culture of the district by having “strangers” driving the buses, cleaning the schools and such. Since so many support services employees are also residents of the community, they said the local economy will be affected when that many families experience job loss. David Ruhland, FPS assistant superintendent of human resources and legal services, said transportation and custodial bids have come in and are being processed. The district will have a recommendation for the board on April 26, he said. The school board could vote on the issue at its May 10 meeting. sjenkins@hometownlife.com | (313) 222-2369 http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20110414/NEWS06/104140536/Farmington-Public-Schools-unions-rally-against-privatization?odyssey=mod|mostcom |
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| Deleted User | May 12 2011, 12:38 PM Post #4 |
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FPS won't outsource busing, custodial May 12, 2011 | Comments Written by Susan Steinmueller OBSERVER STAFF WRITER There were cheers and applause as five Farmington school board members voted 5-2 Tuesday to accept proposals from school unions that represent significant concessions rather than choose to outsource those jobs. “I'm very ecstatic,” said Jill McRoberts, a bus driver for 18 years and a member of the bargaining team. She said she didn't know how the vote would go, as after the final proposal was turned in “we hadn't heard anything.” “All the caring and sharing all these years have paid off,” said Sharon Rodzewicz, a longtime district bus driver and member of a crisis committee that had formed to speak against privatizing non-instructional services. “I was pleased but I wasn't surprised, considering the significant concessions that we made,” said Laurie Moore, executive director for the Farmington Coordinating Council and district Uniserv director for the Michigan Education Association. “Some districts, it really is about breaking the union, but I think the board felt that it had a legitimate financial emergency.” The union members have yet to see the new three-year agreements, but union representatives were confident that members would ratify them. “It's definitely better than the alternative,” said Moore, referring to privatization. DIFFICULT TIMES The union proposals represent a savings of $2.3 million each year for the next three years, according to the administration. The proposed concessions reflect wage decreases, additional contributions toward medical benefits, the waiver of the repayment for furlough days and steps given up in the last contract agreement, changes to vacation, overtime and sick day accrual, changes in holiday pay, changes in transportation field trip pay and assignments and custodial workday adjustments. In February, the board had instructed administration to solicit bids from private companies for custodial and transportation jobs in light of declining revenues and soaring health and retirement costs. The administration subsequently recommended that Sodexo's bid be accepted to provide custodial services and Durham School Services to provide transportation, which would provide an estimated $4 million in savings over three years. The unions had been able to look at their offers and come up with proposals that were at least 75 percent of the savings of the private vendors. The union's proposals reflect $2.3 million in savings, according to the district. It didn't hit the 75 percent mark, but board members who voted to approve, said it was enough. “As I sit here tonight ... my feeling is that the custodial and transportation have done their part,” said Trustee Tim Devine. It wasn't the end of looking for employees to make sacrifices in their contracts, he said. “Because of the strange fact of our calender, we find ourselves looking to the least compensated first and that poses a very difficult issue,” he said. “Where do we go next? This is just the beginning.” Board members Frank Reid and Priscilla Brouillette cast the two votes against the proposals, with Devine, Karen Bolsen, Howard Wallach and Sheilah Clay voting in favor. “We have no control over revenues, we only have control over our spending,” said Reid. “The state has very much backed us into a corner.” Brouillette cited in particular the skyrocketing pension costs as a reason for her vote. Board Treasurer Karen Bolsen said she was not sure about the quality and value that privatization would provide. She cited wages offered by the private companies that were “not a living wage,” and questioned a 20-percent reduction in manpower for custodians in the private plan. Bolsen said that the district has a current fund balance of over 18 percent, higher than its mandated 11 percent. “This is a rainy day fund and it isn't raining it's pouring,” she said of using the fund for any differences. LOOKING AHEAD Those who approved also said how they appreciate support staff as part of what sets the district apart. “As you all said, we are family,” said board Vice President Sheilah Clay said, drawing applause. “Their stories tugged at our heartstrings,” said board President Howard Wallach in giving his approval. More of those stories were heard during the public comment section Tuesday, when about 40 people spoke, many thanking the board for the resolution they were about to vote on to accept their proposals. But Wallach also said that the decision was made a careful one. “We vigorously reviewed and debated the information and the outcome represents good decision making,” he said. The board set a timeline for the custodial and transportation units to ratify the agreement. If the agreements are not ratified by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17, district leaders are then charged with establishing contracts with Sodexo and Durham to provide the services. ssteinmueller@hometownlife.com | (313) 222-2241 http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20110512/NEWS06/105120565/FPS-won-t-outsource-busing-custodial?odyssey=mod|lateststories |
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| n73pm | May 15 2011, 01:58 AM Post #5 |
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I'm all for privatization of all UNION thug services, jobs, etc. |
| I support Global Warming cuz nothing grows in ice! | |
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| Monkfish | May 15 2011, 02:51 AM Post #6 |
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I'm all for a School Board, a Superintendent and Administrators that aren't looking out for the best interests of their friends and family at the expense of our children. Are you in favor of Randy's $50,000 a year raise? |
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