Saying it has ideas to help the district, a Detroit Public Schools union proposed a plan Wednesday that it believes could add $130 million to the bottom line over the next five years.
Titled "A Stronger Detroit for Our Kids," the report was prepared by the Detroit Association of Educational Office Employees and presented during a meeting at Wayne County Community College in Detroit. It comes as DPS suffers from decreasing enrollment and financial challenges.
One of the proposals, the report said, would generate $92 million over five years by reducing absenteeism by 1%. Other parts of the plan include union-management collaboration, centralized record-keeping, and reducing waste in supplies, equipment and photocopying.
"Our ideas are just as important," said Ruby Newbold, president of the union. "These are credible ideas."
Speaking to about 60 union members and supporters, Newbold criticized privatization proposals that she said would squander the talents of employees but not solve the district's problems.
The union gave the plan to DPS emergency financial manager Robert Bobb on Tuesday.
"I embrace all attempts to cut costs, and support the concept of a Management Labor Committee," Bobb said Wednesday in a statement.