1. Important Terminology for contract related Discussion
Where We Stand
Important Terminology for contract related Discussion

2. Negotiations
As you know, Negotiations are at a standstill. The district has agreed to pay items which they are legally Bound to Pay because they are in the contract book (Renaissance Pay, Performance Pay). The only item they agreed to pay was the $1,000 payment for National Board Teachers who mentor for ten (10) Hours (we support this, but it only benefits about 250 people).
Otherwise the district said no to everything. They offered no alternative proposals.
Even though we are not in a language year, the District proposed mandatory EDSBY reporting, as well as Language allowing Principals at turnaround Schools to move teachers out We have not agreed to these proposals.

3. Terms to Remember
Good Faith Bargaining: the parties are required to bargain in good faith. One of our most compelling arguments is that the district has not done this. They come to most meetings unable to answer questions and provide the most basic responses. We’ve been at the table for Five (5) months and the district has provided no counter proposal to our scale and little evidence that the “crisis” is any different than the Crisis of the last two years. After all this time, the answer is simply “no” and “no one will be hurt” (not true).
Impasse in negotiations is a legal term of art, but it means just what you think it does. It is a declaration that the parties cannot reach agreement. A declaration of impasse puts a Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC) process into Effect and the Parties will present their cases to a Special Magistrate. The Special Magistrate will make Recommendations, which the parties can accept or Reject. If the District doesn’t like the findings, the school Board doesn’t have to accept them.
Mediation by a Third Party can be used before, during or After Impasse. Sometimes a mediator is a useful route to try.

4. What is A “work to the Contract”
We only do what we are contractually required to do.
If you are paid a supplement, you continue to do that duty.
If you are paid to tutor, you continue to do that Duty.
The contract allows one meeting a week after school on Tuesday (before school at middle school) and One Monday per month on Early release may be used for a PLC. We would still attend these.
We do not attend after school events, stay after the end of your workday, come in before The workday begins or give up Duty free lunch (unless you are supplemented to do so).
You do not take work home with you or do work outside the workday.

5. What A Work to the Contract is Not
It is not a delay of doing work. We will do only the work we can get done during the day. We will ask what the priority is and we will ask for assistance when we are pulled into too many meetings that prevent us from getting our work done.
It is not a plan to harm students. This is a way for us to take a stand for students and our profession. Sometimes, you have to do difficult things in order to see long term positive results.
It does not impact your evaluation. Nowhere in the Danielson rubric does it say you must work beyond your work day. While some may perceive it otherwise, the rubric talks about what and how well you do something, not how often or when you do it. Any attempts to rate teachers negatively for participating in the work to the contract is illegal and will be met with a stiff response from HCTA. We will stand together and in solidarity.

6. Why?
We have a professional Obligation to stand up for our students and our profession.
We sacrifice our time, our family and our money. Granting members the effective experience credit they have earned is not a “raise,” but, rather, represents the respect and Commitment the district owes employees. For our ESP, we need to continue our commitment to providing a living wage.
The District is claiming an ongoing fiscal crisis, but they have failed to take reasonable steps to reign in unnecessary spending and thwart the unfettered growth of Charter schools. We are necessary for students and should be treated as such.
We have had enough! Class sizes are bigger, supply funding has been cut, unnecessary administrative staff seek to micro-manage every minute of the day Nothing changes until we decide things have to change.

7. How? (Assuming the Council Votes for This Action)
The Board has proposed that our first Work to Contract Action will be a Short Term—1 week Action. We Propose a start on Monday, November 27th-Friday, December 1. A short term action is a good way to start because it allows our members and non members to get comfortable with the action with committing in an unlimited way, it allows us to test our structure and the ability of people to do more and it allows the district to see that we are willing to stand together and take action.
We will meet in the parking lot at the start of each day and walk in together. We will meet and sign out together at the end of each day.
We will provide WTC Pins. The Pins show solidarity across the district, but are also a conversation starter – wear it proudly out and about and when people ask you about it, tell them why we need them to support our schools, our teachers and ESP.
Even though this is a short term Action, we will provide you with Tools to help your members respond to administration, Parents, etc.

8. How continued
You will be provided with a message to put on your out of office reply
You will be provided with a template to send to administration if you are being asked to attend too many meetings or do more work than you can get done during the work day
You will be provided with priorities for what we need to do during our work day
This will allow for you to take no work home with you and not fall behind
Engage members and non-members! Of course, we want everyone to join, but even if they don’t we need their help for this action to create the pressure for change.

9. Communication
Post pics and comments on social media using the hashtag #PublicschoolProud, #unionstrong, #Hillsyeah
Sign up for HCTA APP and make sure you are checking for communication.
Help out and spread the word. Some communication will be done by word of mouth from the Reps, but you can use all your social media platforms! Always remember to keep messages professional and on message—the community seems to be with us and we want to keep it that way!
There are some things we do not want administration to know – please let the rep be the only one to communicate with administration. This makes our statement more powerful

10. Parents/Community/Students
They are supporting us! Thousands of students have walked out in student led actions and parents and PTAs have been overwhelmingly supportive so far.
Only talk with parents about this outside the workday and off campus
Do Not parents about Working to the Contract.
Do not talk with students about working to the contract at any time. We love and appreciate their support, but we don’t want to be seen as dragging kids into the middle of a fight.

11. Evaluations
The Danielson framework does not equate time to ratings. Nowhere in the rubric does it say you must work beyond your day to receive high ratings.
The rubric is about what you do and how well you do it. It is not about when you do it or how often.
It is illegal to mark down teachers who participate in the work to the rule. HCTA will grieve and pursue legal action if any teacher is marked down for participating in the work to the rule

12. Standing Together makes us strong
If we all stand together, we are extremely powerful
Standing together in unity means they cannot divide us and cannot target anyone
If we all participate, we will send a strong message
If we do not stand together and participate, we are destined to see the same treatment we have been seeing.