READING SCHOOL DISTRICT AND READING EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS ESP/PSEA/NEA MEDIATOR S RECOMMENDATION. Tentative Agreements

Transcription

1 READING SCHOOL DISTRICT AND READING EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS ESP/PSEA/NEA MEDIATOR S RECOMMENDATION April 15, 2016 Tentative Agreements All Tentative Agreements reached during the course of the collective bargaining process will be incorporated in this Mediator s Recommendation. General Conditions Language in the expired Collective Bargaining Agreement shall remain the same unless eliminated or modified in this document. Term of Agreement Unless otherwise indicated in this Mediator s Recommendation or in the Tentative Agreements mentioned above, this Agreement shall be effective as of July 1, 2014, and shall continue in effect until June 30, Work Year, Work Week and Hours of Work Effective July 1, 2016, the work year shall be based on 187 days. In the event the District increases the number of student days (versus professional development days) to more than 187 work days by increasing the number of work days in the Reading Education Association Contract, then in that event, the District reserves the right to increase the length of the work year under this Collective Bargaining Agreement. Paragraphs 1-3 of Article VIII.A of the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement to be deleted. Work Year, Work Week and Hours of Work; Article VIII.C Work Day Effective July 1, 2016, the length of the work day shall be seven (7) hours per day for all Bargaining Unit Employees, unless a Bargaining Unit Employee is designated as part-time (less than 30 hours per week). The Employer shall have the discretion to lengthen the work day in cases of emergency. Work Year, Work Week and Hours of Work, Article VIII.D Effective July 1, 2016, those Employees who normally work thirty (30) or more hours per week shall be considered full-time and receive all benefits contained within this Agreement v7

2 Those Employees who normally work less than thirty (30) hours per week shall be considered parttime and not entitled to benefits except as modified by this Agreement. Vacancies, Article IX.A Effective for all vacancies that occur following Contract ratification, all vacancies shall be filled by the most qualified Employee based upon the exclusive discretion of the Employer. In the case of two or more Employees that have the same qualifications as determined by the Employer, the vacancy shall be filled by the most senior employee. A copy of any vacancy shall be provided to the President of the Association. If any qualified Employee bids on a vacancy, the Employer will not go outside the Bargaining Unit to seek other applicants. All applicants for a vacancy shall be notified of the successful applicant. The Employer shall make the final determination regarding Employee qualifications. The Employer may require that an Employee take a test in order to determine whether or not the Employee meets the requirements of the job description. Such tests shall be conducted at the Employer s expense and during the Employee s work day without loss of time or pay. No bid shall be recognized from an Employee who in the six (6) month period previous to the occurrence of the vacancy or new position, has been the successful bidder on and filled such job vacancy, or position unless the bidder will receive an increase to his/her annual wages (increase in hours). Vacancies, Article IX.B Effective immediately following Contract ratification, the first two sentences of this Article IX.B shall be deleted. The assignment of Employees to cover one-on-one vacancies, if not covered by a per diem or longterm substitute, shall be based on the most qualified individual as determined by the Employer within the Employer s discretion. Notwithstanding the provisions in IX.A. and B. herein, the Employer shall have the management right to subcontract day-to-day substitutes (per diem substitutes) to fill positions which have been vacated as the result of a leave of absence where the Employee is expected to return to employment, or a vacancy where an Employee retires, resigns, is terminated, or dies in his/her position up to a period of 120 days in duration, or the right to subcontract substitutes to fill newly created positions, such as one-on-one paraprofessionals (in addition to leaves of absence and vacancies). Delete: These Employees shall be returned to their classroom assignments upon the Employer s successful filling of the open one-on-one position. Seniority and Layoff, Article XI Effective immediately following Contract ratification, seniority is defined as the length of continuous service, within the Bargaining Unit. Any part-time Employees shall be pro-rated. Seniority shall not be interrupted by a layoff or furlough for one year provided the Employee returns to work within fifteen (15) work days of notification to return to work. 2

3 When a reduction in force or layoff/furlough becomes necessary, it is in reverse order of seniority within the bargaining unit. The positions shall be eliminated; the least senior Employees shall be laid off/furloughed and the remaining Employees shall be transferred to open positions. Employees must be qualified to fill the opening. The transfers shall be made by the Employer with input from the Union. Employees who are laid off/furloughed shall be recalled from layoff in reverse order of layoff. The most senior shall be recalled first. Employees on layoff /furlough shall be offered any permanent vacancies or substitution positions for which, in the opinion of the District the Employee qualifies, up to one year after the layoff. Wages, Article XIV.A Effective as soon as practicable following Contract ratification, Starting Hourly Rate for new Employees shall be $ After Employee completes his/her probationary period, the new Employee s hourly rate shall increase to $ Wages, Article XIV.B During the Contract term, employees other than new employees shall receive the following hourly increases: $ $1.50 per hour to be paid within thirty (30) days of Contract ratification to Bargaining Unit Members actively employed by the District as of the date of Contract ratification retroactive to the beginning of the school year $0.50 per hour not to exceed $20.75 per hour $0.50 per hour not to exceed $ Notwithstanding the foregoing, Bargaining Unit Members who have hourly rates that exceed $21.00 per hour as of July 1, 2017, will be capped at that rate for the balance of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Wages/Timeclocks and Committee to Discuss Payroll Changes Effective July 1, 2018, all hourly employees will be paid based upon the hours worked as determined by a timeclock/timecard/paper-based system. Employees will be paid two (2) weeks behind on the submission of a timecard/timesheet as established by the District. It is understood that the District will establish a joint labor/management committee consisting of four (4) administrators and four (4) Association-appointed Bargaining Unit Members who will explore the transition to this system and to further provide educational resources to Bargaining Unit Members regarding withholdings and other IRS-based information to make the transition from a 26-pay system to a 22-pay system. Longevity, Article XIV.F Wages 3

4 Complete longevity freeze and no longevity payment Longevity stipend paid within thirty (30) days of Contract ratification. It is understood that Bargaining Unit Members will receive the longevity stipend due and owing for the school year only and the longevity stipend will be calculated to take into account years of service credit for the school year. The longevity stipend will only be paid to Bargaining Unit Members in the employ of the District as of the date of Contract ratification Longevity payments reduced to seventy-five percent (75%) of the amounts shown in the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement Longevity stipends reduced to fifty percent (50%) of the amounts shown in the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement. Medical Insurance, Article XVII.B During the and contract years, the health benefits provisions provided for in the Reading School District and Reading Education Support Professionals ESP/PSEA/NEA Contract from September 1, 2010, to June 30, 2014, shall remain in full force and effect. Effective July 1, 2016, the language shall be amended to read as follows: Employees hired after June 30, 2003, shall receive single medical, dental, prescription and vision coverage with the applicable co-pay premium. These Employees shall be eligible to purchase twoparty or family coverage at the then applicable COBRA rates. Delete effective July 1, 2016: However, if the Employee elects Plan II (PPO II), there will be no additional cost for two-party or family coverage. In the event that the Employer enters into a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the professional employees (Reading Education Association) after the ratification date of this Collective Bargaining Agreement, notwithstanding any of the provisions contained in this Agreement, Bargaining Unit Members covered under this Agreement will be subject to the same terms, provisions, copayments, plan designs, employee contributions, and/or premium share not to exceed $55/month for single core health plan coverage, not to exceed $85/month for two-party core health plan coverage, and not to exceed $115/month for family core health plan coverage, coinsurance, and the like paid by REA members, assuming the Bargaining Unit Member is eligible to receive healthcare benefits. Imposition of the modifications to the Reading Education Association Collective Bargaining Agreement, even if it occurs during status quo, will be implemented on the same basis and timing as set forth in the Reading Education Association Collective Bargaining Agreement. Notwithstanding the provisions in this paragraph, Employees hired after June 30, 2003, shall be only entitled to receive single medical, dental, prescription, and vision coverage based upon the same health benefit plans and copay premiums for single coverage set set forth in the Reading Education Association Collective Bargaining Agreement. Such employees could buy up to two party and family coverage. 4

5 Sick Leave, Article XVIII.A Effective July 1, 2016, all full-time Employees shall be entitled to eight (8) days of sick leave as of July l st of each year implemented following the ratification of this Collective Bargaining Agreement. All part-time Employees shall be entitled to eight (8) prorated days of sick leave as of July 1 st commencing July 1, Any unused sick days shall be cumulative from year to year without limitation. Any new Employees after completion of his/her probationary period shall be credited with one (l) day per month of sick leave up to July 1 st. Five (5) of the eight (8) allotted sick days to full-time Employees may be used for family sick leave. Personal Leave, Article VIII.B.1 Effective July 1, 2016, full-time and part-time Employees shall be entitled to two (2) personal leave days per year after one (l) year of service and three (3) personal days after completing twenty (20) years of service. Death in Family, Article XVIII.C Existing contract language but adding daughter-in-law and son-in-law in definition of immediate family effective July 1, Effective July 1, 2016, the language is deleted. Perfect Attendance, Article XVIII.G Disability Leave, Article XIX Effective July 1, 2016, during a leave of absence due to physical or mental disability, the Employee shall continue to accrue seniority and receive all other benefits of an Employee for a period up to the extent of his/her accrued paid sick leave or the period provided for eligible employees under the Family and Medical Leave Act, whichever is longer. Holidays, Article XXIV Effective July 1, 2016, all part-time Employees shall be paid for three (3) paid holidays, the days and scheduling of which will be within the discretion of the District. Effective July 1, 2016, all full-time Employees shall be paid for eight (8) paid holidays, the days and scheduling of which will be within the discretion of the District. Tuition Reimbursement, Article XXVI.A.3 A Tuition Reimbursement Plan shall be made available all the Employees upon the following terms and conditions: 3. Effective for all courses taken on or after July 1, 2016, the maximum reimbursement will be set at $ per credit and a maximum number of credits per academic year set at six (6). 5

6 At Will Days, Article XXXI Effective July 1, 2016, this language shall be deleted. Timekeeping System Effective as soon as practicable following the ratification of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the District intends to introduce a timekeeping system for all hourly employees, to the extent feasible. The District will meet and discuss the new timekeeping system with the union at least thirty (30) days prior to implementation. 6