Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a Part 2 Tentative Agreement.

Rather than bore you with the details of the back-and-forth during the bargaining session, let me get right to the details.

Pay Cycle:  11-month pay cycle for 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, and an LTA/district committee that will look into the possibility of returning to a 12-month cycle and make recommendations to the bargaining teams.

Wednesday Minimum Days, Meeting Time & Teacher Discretionary Time:  Continue with the current Wednesday minimum days at elementary and middle schools, and extend Wednesday minimum days to pre-school.  Three Wednesdays per month will continue to have teacher discretionary time from 2:00-3:15.  (LMSTA will not be scheduling minimum day Wednesdays or Wednesday discretionary time, but LMSTA teachers got permanent contract language guaranteeing their existing planning period in the Part 1 agreement).  No more than 5 hours of meetings outside of contract hours per month for all members.

Back-to-School Night & Open House:  Back-to-School Night limited to 90 minutes and evening Open Houses limited to 60 minutes.  Pre-school, elementary and middle school have no meetings during these weeks, and LMSTA has 1 hour less meeting time during these months.

2013-2014:  This is the part that depends on the November election.

If Proposition 30 (the Governor’s tax initiative) or Proposition 38 (the Munger initiative) pass:

• LTA and the district agree to meet for a Budget Study Session no later that November 30, 2012 to examine the district’s financial situation and prepare to negotiate re-openers in January 2013.  By January 15, 2013, each party may re-open any 3 articles of the contract except Article 6: Salary and Benefits.

• If a local parcel tax is passed in November in addition to the passage of one of the tax propositions, Article 6: Salary and Benefits may be re-opened in January 2013 for possible restoration of financial concessions in 13/14.

• If the district’s funding is cut by more than $50 per pupil despite the propositions passing, Article 6: Salary and Benefits may be re-opened in January 2013 for additional financial concessions in 13/14.

If both Proposition 30 (the Governor’s tax initiative) and Proposition 38 (the Munger initiative) fail:

• LTA and the district agree to meet no later that November 30, 2012 to re-open negotiations regarding additional compensation cuts in 13/14.  By January 15, 2013, each party may re-open any 3 additional articles of the contract except Article 6: Salary and Benefits.

Link to printable Bargaining Update #7

Link to full text of the Part 2 Tentative Agreement

I just want to say thanks again to Polo Marquez, our Bargaining Chair, and all the members of the Bargaining Team for all their hard work, and to Larry Lamadrid, Organizing Chair, and the fabulous Organizing Team for all their efforts to support bargaining and our teachers, and to all the teachers of Lennox for their unswerving support through this process.  And with negotiations concluded, we can begin the school year focused on our students and classrooms, and turn our attention and organizing efforts to the November election to make sure the Governor’s tax initiative passes.

Sincerely,
Brian Guerrero
LTA President