Tuesday, June 25, 2013

LWESP Bargaining Update, June 25, 2013



LWESP Members:

Your LWESP Bargaining Team has met with the District’s team for 4 bargaining sessions so far.  In early sessions, we talked about the process for negotiations and shared the issues and concerns that each party is bringing to the table.  Our most recent bargaining session was June 20.  We met for several hours, reached Tentative Agreements on some smaller items and worked on one fairly significant item as well. We hope to be able to resolve that issue soon, as much progress was made on the 20th.  The parties will go back to the table on June 27 and will review an analysis of the District’s finances, budget and spending priorities. 

The Tentative Agreements reached on the smaller items, and all other TA’s for the new contract will go to LWESP members for ratification.  Keep up to date on the bargaining news by checking your home email and our Facebook page regularly this summer!      

Big shout out to the members of our fabulous LWESP Bargaining Support Team!  They keep your bargaining team well stocked in tasty treats (loved the strawberry shortcake!), snacks and funny cards for each session with the District and our own work sessions to prep for bargaining.  All this keeps your team in good spirits and remembering that we bargain for you AND that you are behind us!

 -Kathleen Heiman, WEA-Sammamish UniServ Representative
-Michael Ruiz, LWESP Lead Negotiator

Friday, June 14, 2013

Medical Insurance Action Alert!


The Legislature is setting the State budget and funding for our public schools. 
The Senate has passed a Budget Bill that robs part-time employees of their health insurance. 
Instead of receiving insurance benefits through the school district, they will be sent to purchase medical insurance through “health care exchanges” – which do not exist yet. 
LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

Call 800-562-6000 TODAY and tell the Legislature:
Do Not Support Senate Bill 5905!  Fund our schools!

   From one Republican Senator's office, "This is the number one issue we are hearing about in our office. WEA members have raised issues we weren't aware of. Keep phone calls and e-mails coming----it makes a difference. It gives the legislature the opportunity to change their mind."

Don’t assume your legislator understands the consequences of Senate Bill 5905 – CALL or LOG ON TO www.ourvoicewashingtonea.org to contact your legislators! 


Friday, June 7, 2013

Thursday, June 13, 2013



LWESP Members!
What’s happening in contract negotiations?
Where do we stand in bargaining? 

Heard about the State proposing to change health insurance for employees who work less than 30 hours on average per week?

What might happen to your health insurance benefits starting in the Fall?

What might happen to your pay check?

Come find out at the LWESP General Membership Meeting
Redmond High School Cafeteria
Thursday, June 13 from 4:30 – 6:00
– Food will be provided –

Sunday, June 2, 2013

LWESP Bargaining Update May 17, 2013




Thanks to LWESP members for your responses to our bargaining survey and for attending our General Membership meeting.
Welcome to the many new LWESP members who have joined this school year!
Your voice is important to us all.


Your Bargaining Team has spent many hours of preparation time, reviewing member feedback and meeting with the LWESP Executive Board and Bargaining Support Team. On May 7th, your Bargaining Team met for the first time with the District's bargaining team. It was a full day of bargaining. Time was spent on introductions and how we want this bargain to proceed. Both bargaining teams expressed support for the process of negotiating your collective bargaining agreement.


LWESP bargainers arrived prepared with a written Statement of the Issues, which was shared. Among the issues were:  Compensation; Insurance; Start Dates (for seniority); Professional Development; Leaves; and Workload such as Medications and Health Room Coverage. The district shared their list of bargaining issues, focusing on Optional Hours, being able to terminate employment without completing the negotiated 90-day probation for new hires, and start dates.


The parties shared more details about the concerns and needs related to their issues lists, identified areas where additional information is needed, and set dates for more bargaining sessions.


We're off to a good start, but this is only the beginning. The Legislature is still working on a number of important issues that impact our negotiations--not the least of which are compensation and whether your health benefits will continue if you are part-time (fewer than 30 hours per week). We need to monitor progress on these issues in Olympia and deal with them in bargaining.


Your LWESP Bargaining Team is excited to be working for you and helping you advocate for your needs at the bargaining table. We will update you in the weeks and months to come, as bargaining continues.

LWESP Bargaining Team
Michael Ruiz, Lead Negotiator, Office Manager, Rosa Parks
Libby Boucher, Office Manager, Samantha Smith
Pattie Grohl, Professional Learning, Resource Center
Kristine Pluschke, Payroll, Resource Center
Beth Waters, Office Manager, Evergreen

District Bargaining Team
Robin Davis, Lead Negotiator, Associate Director HR
Darryl Pernat, Associate Director, HR
Kelly Clapp, Principal, Redmond MS
Karen Barker, Principal, Dickinson