July
25:
We
would like to once again update you on the status of the teachers' contract
negotiations. On July 19, the Board and the Teachers' Union met with a Federal
mediator for the second time for approximately three hours.
The
Union's latest proposal is for a three-year contract with an average annual
increase in compensation (salary and benefits) of 6.7 percent. The Board of
Education's proposal includes a competitive average annual increase in
compensation of 3.6 percent.
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs081/1102000766048/archive/1110510948270.html
July
26, 2011:
The
proposal presented by the Union at the July 19 meeting called for a three-year
contract with an average annual increase in compensation (salary and benefits)
of 6.7 percent. The Board of Education's proposal included a competitive
average annual increase in compensation of 3.6 percent which is very generous,
particularly given our faltering economy and the 27+ % (5.5% annually) pay
hikes teachers received over a five year period pursuant to their prior 5-year
contract which expired in June of 2011.
If
the Board of Education and the Union, with the assistance of the outside
mediator, cannot produce a mutually acceptable agreement before the new school
year starts on August 27th, the Board should take a hard stance against the
Union if necessary to keep teachers' salaries and benefits at a reasonable
level considering these hard economic times.
Though
the disruption of a strike would certainly not be welcome, the continuing
burden on taxpayers of supporting the ever-increasing costs of public education
is even less welcome.
It
seems to this taxpayer that current wages and benefits are extraordinarily
generous, particularly in these times of economic distress, severely depressed
property values, and high unemployment rates.
…
the total cost of educating one Lake Forest High
School pupil is a staggering $43,061. As such, LFHS ranks as #1 in the entire
state of Illinois in cost per student.
Not
to be forgotten is that LFHS teacher benefit packages, including health
insurance and pensions, add many thousands of dollars a year to teachers'
overall compensation package.
Regarding
pensions, a LFHS teacher who retires at age 55 at a $100,000 salary level has
every chance of receiving a pension of $100,000 per year by the time he/she
reaches what is considered retirement age for many individuals at age 65, given
the built-in 3% compounding yearly pension cost-of-living adjustment that SS
recipients often do not receive.
Not
bad at all! At these pay levels, it may well be that some Lake Bluff/Lake
Forest residents would be lining up as replacements should the LFHS teachers go
out on strike. An extra income would be very helpful to families struggling to
afford the hefty Lake Forest and Lake Bluff taxes that finance the salaries of
LFHS teachers.
Insofar
as teachers are public sector, taxpayer-paid employees, it would not seem too
draconian should the District 115 Board insist on maintaining a wage and
benefits freeze. It seems that the Union’s balking at the 3.6% increase offered
by the Board is looking the proverbial gift horse in the mouth.
Teachers
obviously play a very important role in Lake Forest District 115 and in our
society in general; they most certainly deserve fair compensation. But just as
the private sector has been forced to make difficult adjustments in
compensation (especially in medical and pension benefits) to reflect the harsh
economic times, our School Board must similarly make adjustment in fairness to
the taxpayers of Lake Bluff and Lake Forest.
August
10:
Impasse
was declared today by the Lake Forest High School teachers in an effort to end
their ongoing contract negotiations and arrive at an agreement with the
District 115 Board of Education, according to Lake Forest Education Association
(LEEA) teachers’ union President Richard Moore.
Though
the members of the LFEA want to start the school year with a new contract and
without the pressure of ongoing talks, today’s move clears the way for a strike
as early as Sept. 10. Representatives of both sides hold their next negotiation
session August 23.
With
impasse declared both the union and the Board must exchange their final offers
by August 17 and their positions must be disclosed to the public by Sept. 24.
After that, no further action can be taken before Sept. 7.
No
strike can occur until 10 days after the LFEA declares a notice of intent to
strike. It has not done that yet but can do so at any time meaning the teachers
could be out of their classrooms Sept. 10.
None
of this is new. In the last 35 years, the LFEA has negotiated between seven and
10 contracts with the Board and all but one have not been inked without a
declaration of impasse, according to Moore.
Late
last year, the teachers declared an impasse and in less than two weeks they
agreed to a one-year deal with the Board with a pay freeze. That agreement
expired June 30.
http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/lfhs-teachers-declare-impasse-strike-possible
Aug
18:
The
Lake Forest Education Association (LFEA) teachers’ union released an overview
of its final offer to the Lake Forest High School District 115 Board of
Education Friday and the Board responded by criticizing the educators’ methods
as well as some of their information.
The
LFEA set forth its overview in a news release from spokesperson Chuck Gress and the Board reacted to the information by issuing a
statement to Patch a few hours later.
http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/lake-forest-teachers-release-demands
Aug
19:
The
teachers of Lake Forest High School believed when we ratified the last one-year
contract that it would demonstrate to the Board our intention to create a
feeling of good faith, shared sacrifice, and good will during the limited time
that the district felt financial pressure. To this point we have been
disappointed in the Board’s response.
The
LFEA was hopeful when we resumed talks with the Board this April that both
sides would use their previous positions as starting points for negotiations.
However, the Board’s offer regressed in the important areas of salary and
healthcare benefits. So far, in our ongoing negotiations, there has been little
substantive progress on financial and benefit issues. Therefore, the LFEA
declared impasse in order to allow community members to view its offer within
the restraints of collective bargaining, and to help facilitate a fair and
equitable contract for its members and the district.
http://gazebonews.com/2012/08/19/what-lake-forest-teachers-want-lfea-issues-statement/
Aug
23:
Should
the two sides reach an agreement there will be no worries for the many Lake
Forest High School student athletes but if they do not, there could be a work
stoppage as early as Sept. 11, three games into the football season.
According
to the Illinois High School Association bylaws, in the event of a teachers’
strike, "no team or other entity representing a member school may
participate in an interscholastic contest or activity during the time the
member school is not in session".
Aug
23:
With
the opening of Lake Forest High School just around the corner, Lake Forest
Patch editor, Steve Sadin, posted an article today
(8/23) which created enough interest for sixteen posts to have been made by
concerned citizen by mid- afternoon. "What would the teacher strike mean
to football season?"
Not
surprising is that not one of the sixteen comments made were favorable toward
the LFHS teachers.
The
common cry was that the focus should not be on football, but instead on the
demands of the teachers that are unrealistic in this economic environment.
http://lakeforest.patch.com/topics/lake-forest-high-school-contract-negotiations
Aug
24:
…
the cost of educating each student at LFHS is a
staggering $43,061. Although teachers’ salaries are just a part of that cost,
they are a large part, and the cutting needs to start there.
The
most recent data issues by the Illinois State Board of Education website (ISBE)
indicates that Lake Forest High School teachers are already the highest paid on
the North Shore edging out Deerfield and Highland Park High Schools by $421 a
year.
Whatever
happened to what now seems like an old fashioned idea for those choosing the
teaching profession: That teaching is a noble profession, that salaries would
never be on the same par as those earned in business, but that the desire to
impart knowledge to those who will become future leaders and responsible
citizens mattered most.
At
LFHFS it seems that teachers have voted to convey the idea that money gained
through the threat of a strike is more important than staying on the job and
doing what they were hired to do.
If
Board 115 were really interested in holding the line, they should be mobilizing
substitute teachers now. Hopefully the
board is not just feigning holding the line momentarily on teacher salaries,
with no intention of allowing a strike to
happen..d.
http://www.championnews.net/2012/08/24/lake-forest-h-s-dist-115-should-hold-firm-on-impasse/
Aug
24:
No
agreement was reached Thursday when representatives of the Lake Forest High
School District 115 Board of Education and the Lake Forest Education Association
(LFEA) teachers’ union met together with a federal mediator for the first time
since July 19.
This
is also the first time the groups met since the teachers declared an impasse in
the negotiations August 10 setting in motion a chain of events that could lead
to a strike as early as Sept. 10.
Under
Illinois law, once one side declares an impasse, the two sides must exchange
final offers within seven days and those offers are made public seven days
later. District Communications Director Anne Whipple indicated both proposals
would be available to the public by Monday on the Illinois Educational Labor
Relations Board website.
After
the final offers are exchanged, the union must wait 14 days before a work
stoppage could begin, according to Illinois law. The LFEA must also issue a
notice of intent to strike 10 days prior to any cessation of teaching. No
notice has been issued. No one has indicated when the next mediation session
will be held.
http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/lfhs-teachers-board-meet-no-pact-reached
Aug
24:
Lake
Forest High School teachers will stop working at 12.01 a.m. Sept. 12 if no
agreement is reached with the Lake Forest High School District 115 Board of
Education, according to a statement today by Lake Forest Education Association
teachers’ union (LFEA) spokesperson Chuck
Gress.
The
union issued a Notice of Intent to Strike to the Board at 4 p.m. today after
Thursday’s mediation session failed to produce a deal and the LFEA found the
District’s last and final offer under the collective bargaining process
unsatisfactory.
Gress said in a statement. “Since
there was no movement by the Board at last night’s negotiation session, the
LFEA feels it has no choice but to take the next step in the collective
bargaining process.”
“The
Board remains steadfast in its efforts to provide fair compensation that’s
reflective of today’s economic realities,” it said in a statement. “If needed,
the Board has prepared a Strike Plan to address any potential work stoppage.”
http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/lfhs-teachers-issue-strike-notice-for-sept-12
Aug
27:
As
a result of the impasse declared by the teachers August 10, both sides were
required to disclose their final offers to each other for public viewing. Those
documents are available for viewing on the Illinois Labor Relations Board
website.
The
District indicated Friday it had a strike plan but Board President Sharon Golan
was not ready to disclose details when questioned by Patch Sunday. Whether or
not the students would be in school during a strike is an issue being
considered.
“We
do have a strike plan,” Golan said. “As part of our discussions we have
discussed what is the safest place for the students to be.”
At
this point, the teachers believe their demands can be met without a tax
increase while the District maintains an average positive fund balance in
excess of 40 percent through the life of the contract, according to union
spokesperson Chuck Gress.
Golan
disagrees with the teachers’ economic analysis. She indicated the Board has set
a goal of a 10 percent positive fund balance as it digs itself out of a hole
created when it attempted to maintain the school’s quality in difficult times.
“We
made a conscious decision to spend down our reserves in hopes of things getting
better until we could get back on an even keel,” Golan said. “It did not have a
negative impact on the children.”
http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/lfhs-teacher-talks-perception-of-resources-divides-sides
Aug
30:
Last
fall, teachers were picketing in front of Lake Forest High School and went so
far as to declare impasse requiring both sides to make their final offers public.
Shortly after that, the teachers and administration agreed to the one year
freeze.
http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/citizen-concern-for-teacher-strike-remains-low
Aug
30:
LFHS
teachers are faced with a dilemma, particularly since, as I recently learned,
the initial vote to strike by the teachers was an open vote.
Teachers
who are not in favor of striking hesitate going public
with that view, as they fear retaliation from the strong and powerful union.
Only three teachers dared to do so at LFHS.
There
isn't a snowball's chance that Governor Quinn will ever challenge the IEA and
its union clout in a meaningful way as did Governor Walker of Wisconsin, as
unions represent the "bread and butter" of the Democrat Party here in
Illinois.
But
will District 115 have what it takes to defy the IEA, as the IEA and the local
union are in cahoots to wrangle an agreement from LF District 115 that is perceived
to be too rich by many at a time of belt-tightening and a down economy for
private sector workers, even in the upscale communities of Lake Forest and Lake
Bluff?
If
so, this could start a positive effect if other school districts who are
struggling to keep teacher salaries in check are emboldened to do the same.
http://lakeforest.going.com/blog_posts/part-1-the-iea-continues-to-hold-hostage-with-a-heavy-hammer
"The
Board of Education's 3-year proposal includes average raises of 2.6% for the
first year, 3.4% for the second year, and for the third year, a formula based
on the Consumer Price Index (CPI)," according to D115's website.
Meanwhile
for the Lake Forest Education Association teachers’ union (LFEA), the
announcement doesn't move salary talks forward.
"We
hope that we have real news for you after the next collective bargaining
session on Sept. 6," Gress said.
http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/lfhs-issues-update-on-teacher-contract-negotiations
(end of aug and begin of sept)
Sept
1:
It
is only fitting that residents and taxpayers of Lake Forest and Lake Bluff
would be focused at the moment on the union imposed strike called for on
September 12th by Lake Forest High School teachers.
What
has certainly slipped under the radar is an awareness that Lake Forest School
Districts 115 and 67 have signed on to what is known as the Common Core State
Standards Initiatives…
The
target date for the implementation of the Common Core assessment program
throughout the state of Illinois is set for the 2014-2015 school year. Might
you find Common Core as a replacement curriculum in Lake Forest School
Districts 115 and 67 as questionable as I do?
There
is still time to register your complaint against implementing a federal
education program that should have no place in the Lake Forest School System.
Attend scheduled school board meetings to let your opinion be heard.
Sept
3:
On
Friday, District 115 posted its 3-year budget plan, including projected salary
increases.
Meanwhile
the Lake Forest Education Association teachers’ union (LFEA),
issued a statement saying this plan presents "no new news." According
to LFEA spokesperson Chuck Gress, the union is hoping
that collective bargaining session on Sept. 6 will better push the conversation
forward.
http://lakeforest.patch.com/articles/review-lake-forest-high-school-teacher-s-strike
Sept
7:
On
Thursday, September 6, the Board and LFEA met and an agreement was not reached.
The LFEA suggested a mediation session on Tuesday, September 11, (the date of
the school board’s meeting and state-required budget presentation); the Board
has requested a Monday, September 10 mediation date. The LFEA has announced
through the media that they will strike effective 12:01 am, Wednesday,
September 12.
Sept
7:
The
teachers’ union represents 152 certified staff members. Union and school board
negotiators differ over salary increases, out-of-pocket insurance costs and pay
scales for new teachers.
In
the event of a teachers’ strike, District 115 officials said Friday, there will
be no school for the first three days of the walkout, but classes will resume
on the fourth day, which it anticipates will be Sept. 17. All students are
requested to attend school on that day.
According
to Chuck Gress, a LFEA spokesman, no progress was
made after two hours of negotiations Thursday.
The
LFEA has launched its own Web site at www.lakeforestteachers.com to update the community on its
position.
http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/15001749-418/lake-forest-teachers-set-sept-12-strike-date.html
Sept
9:
The
Lake Forest Education Association released a statement Sunday asking for
community support at the District 115 Board of Education meeting Tuesday night
to pre-empt a teachers strike scheduled to begin Wednesday.
“We
urge parents who are concerned about the future of the school to attend this
meeting and make their voices heard,” the LFEA statement says.
The
teachers union is opposed to the district’s offer of a two-tier pay system that
would lower pay for new teachers at Lake Forest High School.
http://lakeforest.suntimes.com/15049810-781/lake-forest-teachers-seek-show-of-support.html
Sept
10:
This
is to inform you that today the Lake Forest Education Association (LFEA) has
filed unfair labor practice charges with the State of Illinois in four
significant areas regarding the behavior of the District 115 Board of Education
(BOE) in the collective bargaining process. The BOE has acted illegally in an
attempt to disrupt the lawful actions of the Teachers of Lake Forest High
School in their efforts to secure a contract with the district.
The
charges relate to the BOE making public statements in the media and directly to
the parents on their website claiming that the LFEA leadership may have acted
unlawfully in publishing their offer to the public. The LFEA contends that the
BOE intended to undercut our negotiation team’s credibility with our membership
and the public. The charges also include the failure to bargain in good faith
over contract issues, including demanding unreasonable contract reopeners and
refusing to bargain over aspects of the wage proposals.
http://gazebonews.com/2012/09/10/lake-forest-union-district-115-acted-illegally/
On
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, school buses will not run, nor will students be
required to attend. School doors will remain open, however, from 7:50 a.m.
until 3:10 p.m., and lunch will be available. Resource facilities in the school
also will be open and available for students.
Next
Monday, all students are expected to be in school.
According
to the school district, most athletic participation (practices and games) and
extracurricular activities will continue.
http://seasonpass.suntimes.com/news_article/show/176923?referrer_id=612433
When
the Lake Forest High School District 115 board of education dug in its heels,
teachers were left with the only threat they could issue: Take to the sidewalks
around the venerable and historic high school. This is Lake Forest, after all,
one of the wealthiest communities in Lake County and Illinois.
The
last unemployment numbers in the U.S. showed the overall percentage of
unemployed fell to 8.1 percent from 8.3 percent in July. But the rate fell because fewer people — 368,000 of them — were
actively looking for work and thus weren’t counted. Worse, the economy added
only 96,000 jobs, well below the number needed to keep pace with population
growth. In Illinois, the jobless rate is worse.
http://newssun.suntimes.com/opinions/15108529-474/our-view-labor-pains.html