Time to Take A Stand - Monday, March 7, 5 PM!!!
In 2002 we faced across the boards cuts in education spending that were some of the largest seen in our state. In answer to these cuts we organized a rally where over 2,000 educators gathered at the state Capitol on one of the coldest days of the year.
Now we are faced with an even larger challenge. The Republicans in the Iowa House have introduced a bill (HF 525) that would:
· Eliminate the ability of DMEA to bargain health insurance benefits. DMEA has one of the best health insurance programs in the state. This is provided at no cost to virtually all staff in the District. Can you imagine what DMPS will do with this program if you no longer have the right to bargain these benefits? Some teachers in Iowa pay as much a $1,000/month for family health insurance. This could be you!
· Eliminates the ability of DMEA to bargain staff reduction language in your contract. Current staff reduction language provides a clear process to determine who is laid off. What will happen if no such system exists? Would your administrator be fair in whom they choose to select? Would the system be the same in every building?
· Allow individual teachers to bargain their own contracts as “free agents.” Who is the principal’s favorite teacher in your building? Will they make more than you? Will men receive more pay then women?
This coming Monday at 6 p.m. the House of Representatives will hold a public hearing on this bill. In response, ISEA is organizing a rally that will run from 5 p.m. until the close of the hearing at 8:15 p.m. We want a huge turnout at the Capitol for this event.
Teachers in Eastern Iowa have chartered buses to attend this event. However, teachers in the far corners of the state will not be able to turn out in large enough numbers to support this effort so we are turning to you, our members in Des Moines, to provide the bulk of attendees. Please make every effort to hold building level meetings to convince people of the urgency of this situation and to make plans to attend. Also, please let your Building Representative know if you plan on attending. There is a sign-up sheet in each building, so talk to your Building Rep. and encourage non-members and administrators to attend too!
Already this month teachers in Wisconsin, Ohio, Idaho and Tennessee have faced similar challenges. We can rise up in protest as they have done or we can stand idly by and let this happen to us. I’ll be at the Capitol on Monday and hope to see many of you there!