1-11MFTEmailIV

Greetings,

MFT ORGANIZER#9

FAQs - QUESTIONS ON THE PROPOSED CHANGES

TRANSFER/REASSIGNMENT AND SENIORITY

What are the rights of excessed people in the interview-and-select process?
They are treated the same as voluntary transfers. The only difference is if they do not find a position through interview-and-select, they will be placed into a position in the placement session

Is the MOA grievable?
Yes. A violation of a provision in the agreement can be challenged through the grievance process.

Can any school be “fresh started” at any time?
Yes. This is a managerial right of the district that has existed in the past and will continue to be the case.

Do people need to add their names to “site pools” before or after positions have been posted?
Before positions are posted.

Would interview-and-select ever cause a teacher to interview for the position they currently hold?
No. The only "exception" to this would be if your school is "fresh started."

Can a more senior excessed teacher who is not chosen in the interview-and-select process “bump” a less senior teacher who was “selected?”
Yes. Seniority will still be in effect with regard to layoffs, teachers in interview and select sites can be bumped out.

In the interview-and-select process does the seniority of the “five most senior teachers” really matter?
Seniority guarantees the five most senior applicants an interview, but it is not a factor in which of the ten interviewees are chosen.

What is meant by, HR has the final decision over who is hired at the site?
The selection decision is not final until HR has reviewed the recommendation.

Did we lose seniority?
No and Yes. We retain seniority with respect to layoffs. Layoffs will continue to be done in reverse seniority order (least senior let go first). We would be losing our seniority rights with respect to claiming open positions.

Are teams allowed to hire from outside the district even if there is someone who applied and is qualified for the position in the district?
No. The MOA requires the interviewees to all be internal candidates (current MPS teacher).

How are applicants selected to be interviewed? Is seniority involved at all?
Seniority guarantees the five most senior candidates an interview. Up to five other candidates are selected by the site.

Can we prevent a principal from blocking consensus and appointing whomever s/he wants from the list of candidates?
Consensus requires the principal(s) and teachers to come to agreement. If they do not reach consensus, the principal makes the final decision.

How is the interviewing team selected?
The administrator(s) and building steward(s) will identify teachers who agree to participate on interview teams. Those teachers and the principal will attend a mandatory training offered by HR. The principal will select two teachers from those identified to compose interview teams.

OTHER ISSUES

Why is the language that requires social workers and counselors to have a license deleted?
Under state law, social workers, counselors, as well as other teachers would need a license issued by MDE. So, this language is redundant.

Is the union leadership recommending passage?
The MFT Executive Board has not made a recommendation as to how people should vote. Their resolution was to move the proposal forward to the membership for a vote.

Do those on ATPPS also receive the 1% pay increase in year two?
ATPPS will require a new MOA for 2008-2009.

Has anything changed regarding summer school or ALC pay?
Rate of pay remains the same.

Is the $750 in year two added to our base salary?
No. It is a one time payment.

In Solidarity,

Robert Panning-Miller, President

MFT ORGANIZER#9

FAQs - QUESTIONS ON THE PROPOSED CHANGES

TRANSFER/REASSIGNMENT AND SENIORITY

What are the rights of excessed people in the interview-and-select process? They are treated the same as voluntary transfers. The only difference is if they do not find a position through interview-and-select, they will be placed into a position in the placement session

Is the MOA grievable? Yes. A violation of a provision in the agreement can be challenged through the grievance process.

Can any school be “fresh started” at any time? Yes. This is a managerial right of the district that has existed in the past and will continue to be the case.

Do people need to add their names to “site pools” before or after positions have been posted? Before positions are posted.

Would interview-and-select ever cause a teacher to interview for the position they currently hold? No. The only "exception" to this would be if your school is "fresh started."

Can a more senior excessed teacher who is not chosen in the interview-and-select process “bump” a less senior teacher who was “selected?” Yes. Seniority will still be in effect with regard to layoffs, teachers in interview and select sites can be bumped out.

In the interview-and-select process does the seniority of the “five most senior teachers” really matter? Seniority guarantees the five most senior applicants an interview, but it is not a factor in which of the ten interviewees are chosen.

What is meant by, HR has the final decision over who is hired at the site? The selection decision is not final until HR has reviewed the recommendation.

Did we lose seniority? No and Yes. We retain seniority with respect to layoffs. Layoffs will continue to be done in reverse seniority order (least senior let go first). We would be losing our seniority rights with respect to claiming open positions.

Are teams allowed to hire from outside the district even if there is someone who applied and is qualified for the position in the district? No. The MOA requires the interviewees to all be internal candidates (current MPS teacher).

How are applicants selected to be interviewed? Is seniority involved at all? Seniority guarantees the five most senior candidates an interview. Up to five other candidates are selected by the site.

Can we prevent a principal from blocking consensus and appointing whomever s/he wants from the list of candidates? Consensus requires the principal(s) and teachers to come to agreement. If they do not reach consensus, the principal makes the final decision.

Why is the language that requires social workers and counselors to have a license deleted? Under state law, social workers, counselors, as well as other teachers would need a license issued by MDE. So, this language is redundant.

Is the union leadership recommending passage? The MFT Executive Board has not made a recommendation as to how people should vote. Their resolution was to move the proposal forward to the membership for a vote.

Do those on ATPPS also receive the 1% pay increase in year two? ATPPS will require a new MOA for 2008-2009.

Has anything changed regarding summer school or ALC pay? Rate of pay remains the same.

Is the $750 in year two added to our base salary? No. It is a one time payment.

In Solidarity,

Robert Panning-Miller, President

What are the rights of excessed people in the interview-and-select process?
They are treated the same as voluntary transfers. The only difference is if they do not find a position through interview-and-select, they will be placed into a position in the placement session

Is the MOA grievable?
Yes. A violation of a provision in the agreement can be challenged through the grievance process.

Can any school be “fresh started” at any time?
Yes. This is a managerial right of the district that has existed in the past and will continue to be the case.

Do people need to add their names to “site pools” before or after positions have been posted?
Before positions are posted.

Would interview-and-select ever cause a teacher to interview for the position they currently hold?
No. The only "exception" to this would be if your school is "fresh started."

Can a more senior excessed teacher who is not chosen in the interview-and-select process “bump” a less senior teacher who was “selected?”
Yes. Seniority will still be in effect with regard to layoffs, teachers in interview and select sites can be bumped out.

In the interview-and-select process does the seniority of the “five most senior teachers” really matter?
Seniority guarantees the five most senior applicants an interview, but it is not a factor in which of the ten interviewees are chosen.

What is meant by, HR has the final decision over who is hired at the site?
The selection decision is not final until HR has reviewed the recommendation.

Did we lose seniority?
No and Yes. We retain seniority with respect to layoffs. Layoffs will continue to be done in reverse seniority order (least senior let go first). We would be losing our seniority rights with respect to claiming open positions.

Are teams allowed to hire from outside the district even if there is someone who applied and is qualified for the position in the district?
No. The MOA requires the interviewees to all be internal candidates (current MPS teacher).

How are applicants selected to be interviewed? Is seniority involved at all?
Seniority guarantees the five most senior candidates an interview. Up to five other candidates are selected by the site.

Can we prevent a principal from blocking consensus and appointing whomever s/he wants from the list of candidates?
Consensus requires the principal(s) and teachers to come to agreement. If they do not reach consensus, the principal makes the final decision.

Why is the language that requires social workers and counselors to have a license deleted?
Under state law, social workers, counselors, as well as other teachers would need a license issued by MDE. So, this language is redundant.

Is the union leadership recommending passage?
The MFT Executive Board has not made a recommendation as to how people should vote. Their resolution was to move the proposal forward to the membership for a vote.

Do those on ATPPS also receive the 1% pay increase in year two?
ATPPS will require a new MOA for 2008-2009.

Has anything changed regarding summer school or ALC pay?
Rate of pay remains the same.

Is the $750 in year two added to our base salary?
No. It is a one time payment.