AFSCME: Utica Community Schools Withholding Information, Rushing to Privatize

UTICA, Mich., April 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ellen Keith, Staff Representative for Michigan Council 25 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO, and Chief Negotiator in contract talks between AFSCME Local 1664 and Utica Community Schools, issued the following statement:

"Our first meeting was on April 15, 2010.  AFSCME proposed ground rules and contract proposals that included savings to the District of nearly $1 million.  The District offered no proposals," stated Keith.

"We met for our second session on April 23.  The District proposed ground rules that included the Board of Education agreeing to bargain concessions only.  Also, since the Board is considering privatization, they do not want to bargain after May 15 - 3 weeks from now," continued Keith.

"The District did not provide the information from the Request For Proposal (RFP) bids as we had requested at our first meeting.  They claimed they did not have time to complete an analysis of the RFP bids," Keith related.  "They did not respond to information requests we made regarding payroll costs and benefit costs.  The District did not make any proposals to the Union nor did they respond to any of the Union's prior proposals.  

"The District has not agreed to schedule any sessions to bargain subcontracting or its effects, as the Union had requested in writing more than a week ago," noted Janette Heslet, President of AFSCME Local 1664.  "The committee's feeling is that they are not trying to bargain with us.  They say they want to finish by May 15, but they have provided no information or proposals that the Union can consider to reach an agreement.

"The membership morale is low and it is expected that when the news gets out about how the District is conducting itself at the table, it will sink even further.  Members are terribly worried about their future and are paralyzed as to making any decisions," concluded Heslet.

The next bargaining session is set for April 27th.  AFSCME Local 1664 members and supporters will rally in protest at the meeting of the Utica Community Schools Board of Education today, Monday, April 26, at 6:00 PM, at 11911 Clint River, Utica.

Michigan AFSCME Council 25 represents more than 90,000 public workers across Michigan.  AFSCME International represents 1.4 million public workers nationwide.  News releases issued by Michigan AFSCME Council 25 are available at http://laborweb.afscme.org/sites/MI_C_25

SOURCE Michigan AFSCME Council 25, AFL-CIO

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