Hello, Sandye, 

At the same time you replied to me, you replied to the list about you and your workers' own circumstance.  Would you say that your own working conditions and your own work (definitely literacy related) are compromised to a point where you and your own workers might be subject to easily-understandable depression, anxiety, and other conditions becuase of job-related issues?  

Judith Sinclair, PhD
Cognitive Psychologist
Social and Behavioral Analyst
Founder and CEO
Sinclair & Associates International, LLC
Washington, DC Office
Phone: 202-364-3893
Mobile: 202-236-9822
3003 Van Ness Street, NW
Suite 308 South
Washington, DC  20008
email: j-p-sinclair at att.net
www.sinclairLLC.com



Anything I can do to help you in your reasearch....do call on me.  I find this whole scenario the definition of insanity...doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results.  Another cliche they use in treatment.....and follow it to a T.

Sandye

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Sandra Cook 
  To: professionaldevelopment at dev.nifl.gov 
  Cc: jataylor at utk.edu 
  Sent: Wednesday, November 09, 2005 11:28 PM
  Subject: RE: [ProfessionalDevelopment] Collective bargaining?


  Thanks, Janet.  I'm one who brought it up.  We work for the Educational Service Center, which is directly under the Texas Education Agency.  I have counseled employees who anguished over the decision to leave the ESC for other jobs.  They loved their work, but could not continue to serve under the following conditions:

    1.. We receive no benefits and most of us are uninsured, by virtue of the fact that in order to qualify for benefits we must work 18.75 hours weekly.  The ESC does not allow us to work that many hours, therefore, it is by "design". 
    2.. While some of us are state certified teachers (like me), we receive no service credits for our work.  These are important for retirement and pay scale (school districts).  The Education code states that ESC teachers should get service credits.  We don't. 
    3.. The ESC has stopped paying employees for Continuing Education PD...."it's the budget cuts".  The DOL states that if workshops are required for certification, the employer must compensate.  The ESC has gone around that problem by removing the word "certification" and replacing it with "requalifying" to teach.  If an instructor does not have the sufficient number of CPE PD hours, she/he cannot be "qualified" to teach the next year.  I, myself have managed to secure compensation for all staff to be compensated for a "required Sexual Harassment" course by pointing out the DOL and state laws. 
    4.. Instructors and aides do not have a "contract", per se, but are sent an "encumbrance" statement we are supposed to sign (I did not).  Prior to this year, the encumbrance was figured over a 2 or 3 month period.  This year it was averaged over a 9 month period and includes over 50 days (holidays, spring break, etc.)that we do not work  (I work 15.5 hours a week) What that means is that with a generous $1.00 per hour raise, those Zero days/hours of not working are factored in as Zeros in the "encumbrance". So, we are all actually realizing a reduction in salary.  My pay stubs show me that I am taking home $175 LESS per month with this "creative new arrangement".  
  That is our story.  I would like to know if we are unique, or if others in ABE are experiencing similar personnel problems.  If so, we need to unite in our efforts.

  I have made inquiries of Teacher Associations to see if we can get legal representation.  However, the numbers of interested ABE professionals would offer considerable clout in determining which group would be interested in providing support in pursuing resolution of our dilemmas.  I have had some experience in Human Resource and labor law, but currently teach Special Education for a school district; this requires a lot of research and organization. 

  The first step is to find out if these practices are common in our profession by inquiring among our colleagues.  Then, I would want to find out who would be willing to step out, be counted , and work toward making the changes needed to move our jobs to professions.  That is Professional Development!

  Sandye Cook, ABE Instructor, Region 20, San Antonio, TX   210-884-3188  







----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From:  jataylor <jataylor at utk.edu>
    Reply-To:  The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List <professionaldevelopment at dev.nifl.gov>
    To:  <professionaldevelopment at dev.nifl.gov>
    Subject:  [ProfessionalDevelopment] Collective bargaining?
    Date:  Wed, 9 Nov 2005 20:43:20 -0500
    >Hello everyone,
    >I realized that there weren't many responses posted to the list regarding the
    >recent thread on collective bargaining (perhaps b/c it was right around the
    >time NIFL switched servers?) and I've had an inquiry since then regarding this
    >topic. At any rate, I thought I'd check in with the list --  did anyone have
    >anything more to say about collective bargaining in adult education?
    >
    >What are some examples of local areas, regions, or states where teachers are
    >organized and feel they have improved salaries, benefits and working
    >conditions as a result?
    >
    >Any advice you have in this area would be helpful to those on the list who may
    >be interested in organizing.
    >
    >Thanks...Jackie Taylor
    >jataylor at utk.edu
    >
    >
    >
    >----------------------------------------------------
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    >ProfessionalDevelopment at dev.nifl.gov
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