http://youtu.be/oZSXPPpbTFE
Check out this You Tube video about the unions.

I'm not really sure teachers have to strike. A work slowdown where they only work their contacted hours with no extra duties would do the trick. No varsity sports? No music concerts? No additional activities? No newsletters or special events? It will not take children out of the classroom and it will show this community how much our teachers really do for our kids.

I've learned from a co-worker than Channel 5 has a few videos from the BOE meetings, including the one where the teacher is reading that she isn't always able to watch her beloved Chicago Bears because of her own "homework" she must do for her Master's Degree she's working on. I've set the DVR!

The announcement of the "vote to strike" has already done irreversible damage to the community's respect for the teachers. Going on a strike is like filing for divorce, the respect is gone and the best you can hope for is an amicable co-existence. Teacher's wanted our respect, and their actions cost them our respect.

The union (and the individual teachers that make up the union) have drastically underestimated the support of the parents and taxpayers in this community. The overwhelming sentiment of my neighbors and the parents at the schools my children attend are that 1) the teachers are seriously out of touch with the reality of this economy, 2) the fiscal health and tax rate of Geneva is a huge priority 3) respect has been lost and will take a very, very long to to return given the actions of the union and 4) a school full of educated, enthusiastic, new and grateful teachers/subs would be a good thing.

A strike vote is pro-forma. In itself it means little.

Authorizing a strike just provides public leverage of fear from the GEA, which is a puppet of the IEA... the public has also authorized replacements, so a war had been declared by both parties and the parents have made alternative plans where necessary... at this point, there has been enough communication to have a well thought out plan that does not allow the leverage of fear to force a bad deal, nor force the other side to accept one that they do not like. I believe all parties are well-prepared for a long standoff. It is too bad that things came to this - there were plenty of opportunities for a fair negotiation without one side making demands without negotiating. I believe the IEA will end up with egg on their face on this one. And then I suspect some may want to investigate whether they pre-meditated all of the strikes in an effort to shut down education throughout the state - if so, I imagine they will be forced to defend those actions and communications and demonstrate if they were legal actions in the first place, or if their actions put the education system at risk. Staggering strikes can completely disrupt the education system in the State, and it sends a message of racketeering and extortion.

Wake up Geneva teachers! You have greatly overestimated the support of Geneva residents. Your salaries/benefits are ridiculous! Do you realize what the rest of world is going through-? Reduced or frozen wages, fearful for our jobs, working like dogs because companies are short-staffed, workers paying for at half their health insurance premiums (with no dental or vision at my company) Wake up Teachers, you don't know how good you have it!

Does anyone have factual information on the purpose for the surplus, the intended use of those funds, the legalities of what they can be used for, and if those funds are NOT included or used in the negotiations, what the actual dollar cost of the proposals from each side would be in terms of hard dollars?

There is going to be a deal at some point - it is not realistic to think that the two parties will forever be apart and unable to negotiate away differences... I hope both parties view this period as a time to review what is on the table and be prepared to offer up something in good faith, in order to meet in the middle. A starting point would be to get clear communications on the exact hard costs being asked for and being offered, and the source of funding for those costs.

If this can't be settled, you can give up hope on the Middle East ever having peace...

I've lived in Geneva for 22+ years and have come to know a good number of teachers. My children have been the beneficiary of dedicated teachers who are good at what they do and, for me, are the heart and soul of the buildings they work in. I respect them and thank them for their dedication.
I would like to think that if these same teachers were in charge at the negotiating table, they would still be there, just as dedicated to working toward a solution as they are to helping their students.
The teachers are not naive. They live in the community and know what's going on. They see the For Sale signs and read the news. They have to know that taking such strong action as to go on strike during these economic times is going to strain some relationships, to say the least. I fear that it will destroy others and for that I feel nothing but sadness.
Given what I've just said, I am forced to assume that the teachers believe their cause is worth fighting for. I hope, for their sake, it truly is.
Being a parent with kids in college or soon headed that way, I can fully understand the Board of Education's position as well. Money is tight. Period. You cannot withdraw funds if the bank account is empty.
So I will simply ask this... Please DO NOT allow the teacher negotiations to become a lightening rod for the financial stress we're all feeling. Before speaking your mind, please take a moment to note who's listening. Ask yourself how you'll feel after the contract is signed.

I have school aged children and am grateful & appreciative of their educators. I'm also painfully aware of the necessity of being fiscally responsible. I support raises when funds exist. Unfortunately, that is not the current economic status of Geneva. Do the teachers recognize the citizens are UNABLE (not unwilling) to fund an increase in taxes, ie their pay raise. In my profession I have seen an annual decrease in reimbursement. Everyday I care for patients from whom I will never be paid. I recognize that this is the reality of my occupation. It does not mean for one minute I provide substandard care. Because my salary has decreased does not mean I put forth less effort! In this country we have the privilege of choosing our profession. With the right to choose means that we must accept the good & bad. If teachers find it intolerable to continue teaching with effort & enthusiasm while not receiving a raise then they need to step aside. I guarantee there are eager individuals waiting to take their place. Forgive me if you feel differently, but the latest move by the Union has disgusted me as have the threats for substandard efforts and work slow down. Those choosing to partake in those actions should be ashamed of themselves. We are all feeling the strain of these times; but, acting as if they are entitled is the exact behavior that will be the demise of not only the teachers but this entire system. Ann

Board President Mark Grosso says, "The board believes that it is only fair that teachers share the load and forego one pay raise.”

ONE pay raise? Does this mean that the Board's idea of protecting the tax-payers of Geneva is to offer pay raises for two years out of what may be a three-year contract? If that's the toughest this Board can get, they may as well admit defeat now instead of continuing the charade.

Given the significant continuity which exists in the membership of the board from the time of its misrepresentations concerning enrollment projections to the make-up of the board today during these contract negotiations, one cannot help but wonder if the Board has even more of a tin ear, and is even more irresponsible, than anyone might have thought possible.

Without rigidly controlled expenditures, and a balanced budget EVERY year, for the next decade or more, Geneva has no hope of solving its schools' financial quandary. Even with these changes, some estimates say our taxes will increase nearly 50% in ten years. Since taxes have gone up 50% in the last ten years, we can expect Geneva home values to plummet in comparison to surrounding communities. There could well be a rush to sell homes beginning in January 2013, if the Board rolls over for Teacher pay raises.

Last one out of Geneva, please turn off the lights.

Think First
Four of your statements are not true:
1. the district does not pay 100% of the administrators contribution to their retirement.
2. the reserve fund is not a direct result of savings the teachers have found. The teachers have found no where near $30 million in savings over the last 2 years. The reserve is the direct result of the district taking the maximum tax levy every year and then not spending all of the money. The reserves are actually well over 30 million dollars, closer to 57 million, and is the taxpayers money that should be use to pay down the debt.
3. your use of the word tax abatement is extremely misleading. The district did not refund any money to any taxpayer. They used money in the reserve fund (which already is taxpayer money) to pay down the debt. This is not a tax refund, it is using already collected taxes to pay expenses. This information is in the William Blair report on the district website.
4. Your school taxes will go up next year even if the board approves a 0% tax levy. Because of the decline in EAV (Estimated Assessed Value) of property located in the district and larger yearly debt service repayments a house valued at 288k will see an increase of $404 in next years school taxes. If the levy is 1.5% the tax increase is $474 and if it is 3% the tax increase will be $543. Just in school taxes.
This is all public information, I suggest you stop listening to your union rep and do your own research.

ThinkFirst, you are so far off the mark it's not even funny! We are over 300 million in DEBT! The 'surplus' that your union reps like to talk about is like finding a few hundred bucks in the cookie jar when you have 10,000 in credit card debt!

PS - I hear some kids come to school with lunch money - maybe you can shake them down, too!

As a Geneva tax payer, Mom and most importantly in this case, a hiring manager, I am appaled that the teachers union has taken such a strong stand on getting an increase. The majority of the Geneva Tax Payers have taken huge hits financially. Many of us have lost our life savings, taken huge paycuts while working extra hours, some people have lost their homes, others haven't been able to find a job in and the unemployment has run out. As a hiring manager, I talk to Western Suburban residents daily, including a lot of Geneva residents - and the new norm is incomes that have dropped 20-50%. I myself had to lay off 30% of my staff, reduce salaries for the remaining staff by 20% and eliminate bonuses to avoid having to lay off more people. Not only does Geneva NOT have the money to pay increases, it is absolutely insulting to the tax payers who have experienced such a huge financial toll. While I valued Geneva teachers in the past. I am so turned off with their attitudes of entitlement.

Well said Traci!

One pay freeze?! Is that all we are asking? What does the BOE and Dr. Mutchler know about the economy improving after one year to justify ANY future pay raise. Make the contract year to year. That is how the taxpayer is coping with uncertainty.

Tom Fortune wrote on 12:08 am on Sunday, October 21, 2012

My neighbor that lives across the street from me in an administrator in Geneva...He personally told me that he gets his TRS paid for by the BOE. I am also an administrator in another school district and my BOE pays for my full TRS as well.
As far as administrators in Geneva taking a pay freeze....Only 6 out of a total of 28 administrators actually took a pay freeze.
My response:
Well at least we now know Tom is an administrator at a school district and his district pays 100% of his TRS contribution. Geneva DOES NOT pay 100% of our administrators TRS. Tom's neighbor needs to ask the Geneva Human Resource department about his contribution because if they paid 1005 of his TRS, he owes the district money. Tom, you can't believe everything your neighbor tells you. I have the answer in writing, guess you don't.
As to the salary freeze here are the true figures for the 2010-2011 vs. 2009-2010 school year. These are directly from the State of Illinois Board of Education reports.
- 13 administrators received NO increase in base salary
- 3 administrators received salary increases due to a change in responsibilities
- 9 administrators received salary increases with the highest increase being 1.32%
In the 2009-2010 school year 9 administrators received NO increase in base salary over their salary from the 2008-2009. Anyone who wants the written reports can e-mail me at bobm@genevataxfacts.org.

Tom
Someone is wrong on the TRS contribution. Wanta bet who it is? I would bet that the Asst. Superintendent of Human Resources for the Geneva School District has the right answer.

RE: Pension Contribution
From:Craig Collins <ccollins@geneva304.org>
To: Bob McQuillan
Hi Bob,

The District does not pay anything toward the required TRS contribution (employee portion – 9.4%) for teachers.

The District pays 25% of the required TRS contribution (employee portion – 9.4%) for administrators.

Craig

The only reason why he showed me his paystub is because Bob said that it wasn't true...when I told him what Bob wrote, he grab his paycheck and said here...look.

Pretty scary that a district administrator in Geneva thought that the district paid 100% of his TRS contribution when they actually pay 25%. I would assume the district deducts 75% of the TRS contribution from his/her paycheck and then pays TRS via one check for all administrators. I know that they do this for teachers even though they don't pay anything toward the teachers TRS contribution.
Still scary that a highly paid administrator doesn't understand how TRS works.

Don't know where Tom got the salary freeze information for administrators since he never verifies any statements he makes.

See you tonight Bob...