Posted on 09/18/2004 7:24:15 AM PDT by Theodore R.
KEA board votes to give Fletcher 'ultimatum'
JOE BIESK
Associated Press
FRANKFORT, Ky. - The Kentucky Education Association board of directors voted early Saturday morning to give Gov. Ernie Fletcher an ultimatum with a list of demands that, if not met, could result in a strike by teachers and school employees.
The strike proposal calls for school districts across the state to voluntarily cancel school on Sept. 27 to allow teachers to participate in a statewide protest.
Negotiations would continue beyond then. If teachers' and public school employees' demands are not met, they would go on an indefinite strike starting Oct. 27.
KEA President Frances Steenbergen said the association was giving the governor an "ultimatum" to help teachers and public school employees get better health benefits.
"On Oct. 27 if those things haven't happened, then we are calling for a statewide withholding of professional services for all school employees ...," Steenbergen said. "That's a strike."
The KEA board's decision authorized teachers and school employees to go out on strike. Local members, however, would still have to sign off on the plan, KEA officials said.
After the vote, which was at times heated and contentious, Steenbergen told the KEA members in attendance to "roll up our sleeves and get to it."
Among its requirements, the KEA wants state employees' and teachers' health insurance benefits restored to the 2004 plan with employee contribution rates comparable to surrounding states.
KEA officials also said they wanted the open enrollment period, which now ends Oct. 15, to be extended for 15 days after an agreement is reached to allow members more time to sign up.
The KEA board also decided the governor must agree to work with state workers and the KEA to devise a 2006 health insurance plan that is "in line" with surrounding states.
The final agreement among the KEA board was reached after more than four hours of debate, the majority of which was closed to the media.
Members of the Jefferson County Teachers Association, which had already voted in favor of a strike, were vocally supportive of a strike during the deliberations open to reporters.
KEA board members seemed split over the best timing of a possible strike date. While some members wanted a late strike date, others said they were concerned the KEA could lose momentum in its bargaining power.
The KEA board's decision was a "step toward a victory," JCTA President Brent McKim told reporters after the decision.
"A victory is to solve the problem so we can attract and keep good teachers," McKim said. Getting teachers better benefits "so they could afford to stay in the profession" was the ultimate goal, he said.
"That's the ultimate victory," McKim said. "This is hopefully a step in the right direction toward getting to victory."
He said he would take the KEA board's decision back to the JCTA on Monday for membership approval. However, McKim said he thought the members would likely agree with the plan.
Fletcher issued a statement Friday night saying he had met with state employees, public school teachers and union leaders in the past few days. In a statement, Fletcher said he would not negotiate with teachers if they planned a strike.
"It would be inappropriate to negotiate if they choose to promote an illegal strike," Fletcher's statement said. "No illegal strike or other organized job action can be justified."
Steenbergen acknowledged that "a strike is illegal." However, the issue was a matter of principle to teachers and public school employees, Steenbergen said.
"They believe that strongly in this," Steenbergen said. "It's not just teachers. It's school employees, it's classified, it's bus drivers, the custodians. And you heard tonight, they're very upset."
Last week, Fletcher announced plans to overhaul the state health insurance plan for next year, a move that affects thousands of state employees, teachers and public school workers.
Under the plan, most will pay more in deductibles and co-payments starting in 2005.
McKim said he would "welcome" talks with the governor if he was "sincere and offers to work" with them.
"We will sit down, and if we start working on solving this problem, then none of this is necessary," McKim said.
I suppose the kids wouldn't learn anything after Oct 27.
And that's different from before October 27, just how????
I hope that if all the teachers in the state of Kentucky decide to go on strike, that Gov. Fletcher and the local cities decide to FIRE everyone of the teachers that go on strike. It is illegal for a government employee to go on strike and can be permanently replaced immediately if they go on strike.
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