February 2008

Core Health Plan Premium Co-Pay Likely for Next Year

The LMEA has received from the district a “first look” at the IBX medical plan premiums the district pays for employee coverage. Under our current contract, if the medical premiums for the “core plan” (IBX 10/20/70) with dependents increases above a cap of eight percent the employee will be obligated for the following copay each month: $25 for professionals and $12.50 for support professionals. The first look given to the district shows an increase of 10.8% thus triggering the copay. While it is possible that the actual premium rate that arrives to the district in May might be lower, it is not likely. Employees who have a spouse working in the district will be given the option during open enrollment in June to elect single coverage for each thus avoiding the copay. Those employees who will have to pay the monthly amount will have it deducted from their pay before taxes are applied thus negating the need to shelter the cost through a flexible benefit program. The district has agreed to adjust the timing and duration of open enrollment in May to allow employees to make an informed decision regarding costs and coverages. The medical premium copay provision is year-to-year and could cease the following year (2009-2010) if costs should drop below the 8% threshold.

Issues With a Colleague? Let the LMEA Help You!

Too often when we are presented with an conflict situation involving a colleague at work we turn first to management to resolve it. Administrators and supervisors are capable of addressing the issues but often their “remedy” involves placing blame and discipline on one or sometimes both parties. The LMEA has always advised members who have issues with a their co-workers to first seek the assistance of a building rep or officer who will assist with conflict resolution. More often than not, the LMEA mediator can bring both parties to a better understanding and avoid the pitfalls of involving someone who writes your evaluation and contributes to your personnel file.

LMEA Elections are Approaching

The LMEA is a collective bargaining unit that is represented by leaders elected by the membership. Each May elections are held in the buildings and departments for LMEA officers and standing committees. These positions are important and the people who hold them determine the effectiveness of the organization. All members willing to devote some of their time and efforts to a stronger union are strongly encouraged to consider running for a position on one of our committees or officer ranks. A flyer showing open positions is being posted to your LMEA bulletin board. Nominations for these positions should be made to our Elaine DeStafano, our elections chair, at destefe@lmsd.org.

Compensation Awareness: Salary Plus Increment

If you have been paying attention to the Downingtown strike you may have seen the school district showing the increases to salary packages for each year listed as 4.5%, 4.6% and so forth. This is a very misleading because it shows the raise in scale plus something called the “salary increment”. Placing steps or increments in the salary schedule allows a school district to spread out the cost of moving a professional to maximum salary over a number of years (in our case it is 13 years). A large percentage of teachers have already reached maximum on the scale and their yearly raises don’t include a step increase. For these teachers the actual raise in pay will be more like 2.5-2.7%. This is important when negotiating salaries because while the increment helps districts afford experienced teachers when they reach maximum they deserve a raise that keeps up with inflation and values their work. Answer to last month’s question:

NEA researchers recently reported that over the past ten years average teacher salaries have increased just 1.3 percent in constant dollars. Can this be true, and if so, how?

New teachers enter the profession at the low end of the salary schedule and often replace retiring teachers at the high end of the scale. The average teacher retires at age 58 and the past five years has seen teachers retiring in record numbers. Their replacements have been hired at a much lower pay thus slowing the growth in the average salary.

Our Bus Drivers Go the Extra Mile!

The drivers of the Lower Merion fleet once again showed their flexibility and willingness to go the extra mile to help the district recently when it was caught in a legal pinch. While most of us take for granted a workplace with bathroom facilities and a staff lounge the LM drivers had to do without last week so the district could start using the newly leased property between the expressway and the river. This is just one example of the many ways that our members have worked around adverse situations created by the capital construction program. Our continued flexibility while the district constructs the new high schools will be a point of strength for the LMEA in the future.

Unit Meetings

Once each year the president of the LMEA holds a unit meeting in each of the schools and major departments. These meetings are an opportunity to share issues and have questions answered directly by the LMEA leadership. The schedule for the remaining 2007-08 Unit Meetings is as follows:

NEXT UP:

Welsh Valley …………Mar. 3 @ 3:15

Penn Wynne…….…....Mar.27 @ 3:45

Merion…………….…..Apr.24 @ 3:45

Harriton……………..…May 6 @ 2:45

Did You Know This Is In Your Contract?

A full time 12 month employee may take a single vacation day without prior notice as long as he/she reports the absence on AESOP a minimum of two hours in advance of his/her designated start time. Article 24 E. pg.23