October 15, 2009
Dear Colleagues,
As we’ve settled into our eighth week of school…..learning our student’s names, implementing new curriculum, administering our first Benchmark exams, we all realize that the challenges we face as educators and union members seem to fluctuate as much as the state and federal budgets. In order to maintain our contract, build a stronger and more effective union we need to rely on our very dedicated Site Reps. They are the eyes and ears of our Association at our schools. In order to more effectively carry out their duties they attend monthly association meetings where district and state information is shared and discussed. Contract language is reviewed and Reps are to return to their site to hold monthly 10 minute site meetings to share and or gather information. It is at the sites that our union strength resides. Support your Site Reps by attending your 10 minute meeting. If a Site Rep cannot answer your question they know how to access it for you.
Insurance Update
Our insurance carrier for the 2010 coverage year will be Health Net and Kaiser. Each person will receive an Open Enrollment packet prior to the open enrollment period of November 5-19. This year each person will have the option to enroll online or attend an enrollment meeting to have questions answered by a representative from Health Net or Kaiser. Like Open Enrollment meetings of the past dental, vision, and life insurance vendors will be participating to provided the opportunity for Q & A’s. Dates and locations will be forthcoming as soon as they are formally scheduled.
For those members who will be changing plans that will result in a monthly salary deduction American Fidelity will visit every school site to allow each person to register for the flexible spending plan and or the pre taxed deduction of insurance premiums. These site meetings will occur during the month of November. Expect an email from Jarrod Madrusso, Employee Benefits Technician with this information. The information will also be in the Open Enrollment packet.
Please note that insurance deductions will occur in your December pay warrant. This is due to the fact that insurance premiums must be paid a month ahead of the coverage.
More information is to follow.
Bargaining Update
The District and VTA have both submitted their proposals but no bargaining has occurred. The District’s most recent proposals included salary cuts, increased class sizes for all grade levels, and furlough days. VTA’s counter proposals included no salary cuts, no increases in class size and our position on furlough days.
Your bargaining team is well aware that we are the only district in the county that has not settled a contract in three years. We are highly frustrated and concerned about the lack of progress. An example of one stumbling block to progress is the management team’s use of a lawyer who leads the district team. This is costly and prohibitive to working together to finding fair and reasonable agreements. Currently, we are pursuing options to change the process by which bargaining occurs so that our contract is settled by December….2009.
Our next scheduled bargaining meeting is October 29, 2009, where you can expect a more detailed report.
SB 472
For those teachers who attended the SB 472 training this past summer look for your $500 stipend in your October pay warrant.
Miscellaneous
VUSD Art Festival: October 24th, 10-4 at the Vista Village Center/Krikorian Center. Please try to attend the festival to witness the artistic and musical talent of our students.
Congratulations to Vista Magnet Middle School teacher, Jennifer Eckle, who was one of ten finalists in the San Diego County Office of Education and Cox Communication “Salute to Teachers” on October 10, 2009. Kudos to one of our many top notch teachers!
Look for your next VTA President’s message Thursday, October 22nd.
Stay Tuned!
Jan O' Reilly
VTA President
www.vistata.org
As we’ve settled into our eighth week of school…..learning our student’s names, implementing new curriculum, administering our first Benchmark exams, we all realize that the challenges we face as educators and union members seem to fluctuate as much as the state and federal budgets. In order to maintain our contract, build a stronger and more effective union we need to rely on our very dedicated Site Reps. They are the eyes and ears of our Association at our schools. In order to more effectively carry out their duties they attend monthly association meetings where district and state information is shared and discussed. Contract language is reviewed and Reps are to return to their site to hold monthly 10 minute site meetings to share and or gather information. It is at the sites that our union strength resides. Support your Site Reps by attending your 10 minute meeting. If a Site Rep cannot answer your question they know how to access it for you.
Insurance Update
Our insurance carrier for the 2010 coverage year will be Health Net and Kaiser. Each person will receive an Open Enrollment packet prior to the open enrollment period of November 5-19. This year each person will have the option to enroll online or attend an enrollment meeting to have questions answered by a representative from Health Net or Kaiser. Like Open Enrollment meetings of the past dental, vision, and life insurance vendors will be participating to provided the opportunity for Q & A’s. Dates and locations will be forthcoming as soon as they are formally scheduled.
For those members who will be changing plans that will result in a monthly salary deduction American Fidelity will visit every school site to allow each person to register for the flexible spending plan and or the pre taxed deduction of insurance premiums. These site meetings will occur during the month of November. Expect an email from Jarrod Madrusso, Employee Benefits Technician with this information. The information will also be in the Open Enrollment packet.
Please note that insurance deductions will occur in your December pay warrant. This is due to the fact that insurance premiums must be paid a month ahead of the coverage.
More information is to follow.
Bargaining Update
The District and VTA have both submitted their proposals but no bargaining has occurred. The District’s most recent proposals included salary cuts, increased class sizes for all grade levels, and furlough days. VTA’s counter proposals included no salary cuts, no increases in class size and our position on furlough days.
Your bargaining team is well aware that we are the only district in the county that has not settled a contract in three years. We are highly frustrated and concerned about the lack of progress. An example of one stumbling block to progress is the management team’s use of a lawyer who leads the district team. This is costly and prohibitive to working together to finding fair and reasonable agreements. Currently, we are pursuing options to change the process by which bargaining occurs so that our contract is settled by December….2009.
Our next scheduled bargaining meeting is October 29, 2009, where you can expect a more detailed report.
SB 472
For those teachers who attended the SB 472 training this past summer look for your $500 stipend in your October pay warrant.
Miscellaneous
VUSD Art Festival: October 24th, 10-4 at the Vista Village Center/Krikorian Center. Please try to attend the festival to witness the artistic and musical talent of our students.
Congratulations to Vista Magnet Middle School teacher, Jennifer Eckle, who was one of ten finalists in the San Diego County Office of Education and Cox Communication “Salute to Teachers” on October 10, 2009. Kudos to one of our many top notch teachers!
Look for your next VTA President’s message Thursday, October 22nd.
Stay Tuned!
Jan O' Reilly
VTA President
www.vistata.org