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*Suffield Education Union Dues: $804.20*
*Teachers' Benefit Costs for The 2019 - 2020 School Year*
Click here to for more information on the teachers/ benefit costs for the 2019 - 2020 school year. Thank you.
*New Milford Teachers Prevail*
Connecticut Supreme Court Rules in Favor of New Milford Teachers in Contract Dispute Case
Strength of CEA, local teachers prevail
A four-year court case regarding a contract violation by the New Milford Board of Education against its teachers ended last Friday with a ruling in favor of the teachers. In a unanimous decision, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that the New Milford Board of Education violated the terms of the collective bargaining agreement by improperly extending the workday for teachers on multiple occasions.
The decision requires the town to compensate members of the New Milford Education Association for 20 hours of additional time they were required to work without pay.
“This is a huge victory for us and for the teaching profession, and a testament to the incredible power of our union and expertise of CEA’s legal team,” said New Milford Education Association President Kim Patella. “This case has proven that regardless of the number of times a board tries to get a ruling appealed, when we stand together as a unit, part of something we believe in, which is our union, we can prevail.”
And, Patella said, New Milford teachers couldn’t be happier with the outcome, “While it has been a long, arduous process, after more than four years, our teachers will be receiving the pay they deserve for the extra hours they were required to work.”
The dispute began in 2015, when the union filed a grievance alleging that the New Milford Board of Education had violated the collective bargaining agreement by extending the teacher workday and scheduling a number of open house and similar evening events. An arbitrator ruled in the union’s favor, but the board filed an application to vacate the grievance arbitration award in Litchfield Superior Court. The Superior Court ruled in favor of the union. Despite two rulings against them, the New Milford Board of Education refused to accept the loss and instead attempted to get the decision reversed, and ultimately brought the case to the Connecticut Supreme Court.
“This case should never have gone to the Supreme Court, said CEA Legal Counsel Adrienne DeLucca. “An independent arbitrator ruled in favor of the union, and it should have ended there. It caused four years of declining teacher morale, confidence in the Board of Education, and thousands of dollars that could have been used for educational needs of the District.
“If you have never read a court ruling that is 100 percent in favor of the union, read the Supreme Court ruling in this case,” said CEA UniServ Representative Tom Kennedy, who filed the original grievance four years ago, and has continued to work and support the teachers in New Milford to ensure their rights are protected.
Patella added, “We are truly grateful to the CEA legal counsel of Attorneys Adrienne DeLucca and Marty Gould, and UniServ Representative Tom Kennedy. They never gave up, and neither did our dedicated members. We are moving forward as an even stronger Association and we are ready to work with the Board of Education as we continue to enrich the lives of the students in New Milford.”
The Connecticut Education Association is Connecticut’s largest teachers’ union, representing active and retired educators across the state.
For further information contact Nancy Andrews at 860-725-6317, nancya@cea.org.
Strength of CEA, local teachers prevail
A four-year court case regarding a contract violation by the New Milford Board of Education against its teachers ended last Friday with a ruling in favor of the teachers. In a unanimous decision, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that the New Milford Board of Education violated the terms of the collective bargaining agreement by improperly extending the workday for teachers on multiple occasions.
The decision requires the town to compensate members of the New Milford Education Association for 20 hours of additional time they were required to work without pay.
“This is a huge victory for us and for the teaching profession, and a testament to the incredible power of our union and expertise of CEA’s legal team,” said New Milford Education Association President Kim Patella. “This case has proven that regardless of the number of times a board tries to get a ruling appealed, when we stand together as a unit, part of something we believe in, which is our union, we can prevail.”
And, Patella said, New Milford teachers couldn’t be happier with the outcome, “While it has been a long, arduous process, after more than four years, our teachers will be receiving the pay they deserve for the extra hours they were required to work.”
The dispute began in 2015, when the union filed a grievance alleging that the New Milford Board of Education had violated the collective bargaining agreement by extending the teacher workday and scheduling a number of open house and similar evening events. An arbitrator ruled in the union’s favor, but the board filed an application to vacate the grievance arbitration award in Litchfield Superior Court. The Superior Court ruled in favor of the union. Despite two rulings against them, the New Milford Board of Education refused to accept the loss and instead attempted to get the decision reversed, and ultimately brought the case to the Connecticut Supreme Court.
“This case should never have gone to the Supreme Court, said CEA Legal Counsel Adrienne DeLucca. “An independent arbitrator ruled in favor of the union, and it should have ended there. It caused four years of declining teacher morale, confidence in the Board of Education, and thousands of dollars that could have been used for educational needs of the District.
“If you have never read a court ruling that is 100 percent in favor of the union, read the Supreme Court ruling in this case,” said CEA UniServ Representative Tom Kennedy, who filed the original grievance four years ago, and has continued to work and support the teachers in New Milford to ensure their rights are protected.
Patella added, “We are truly grateful to the CEA legal counsel of Attorneys Adrienne DeLucca and Marty Gould, and UniServ Representative Tom Kennedy. They never gave up, and neither did our dedicated members. We are moving forward as an even stronger Association and we are ready to work with the Board of Education as we continue to enrich the lives of the students in New Milford.”
The Connecticut Education Association is Connecticut’s largest teachers’ union, representing active and retired educators across the state.
For further information contact Nancy Andrews at 860-725-6317, nancya@cea.org.
*New DCF Policies Impact teachers*
CEA Member Legal Services recently learned that the Department of Children and Families (DCF) has developed a new policy for investigating failure to report incidents. Specifically, a special investigations unit is now investigating claims of failure to report incidents for purposes of assessing whether or not to refer each case to the state’s attorney for criminal prosecution. These failure-to-report investigations also include DELAYS in reporting, meaning anything beyond the mandatory 12-hour timeframe to report. Since this new policy went into effect, many teachers have become subject to DCF investigations for delayed reporting, even if it is just a few hours beyond the required timeframe.
Please allow this to serve as a reminder that as a mandated reporter, and pursuant to Connecticut law, you must report suspected neglect or abuse within 12 hours. A failure to report may be considered an offense up to a Class E felony and may be punishable with jail time.
Be aware that DCF is now offering an online reporting option; however, we strongly recommend that teachers continue calling the Careline. The DCF Online Reporting Form is only to be used for a non-emergent suspicion, defined as a circumstance wherein there is suspicion of abuse or neglect and the alleged victim, or similarly situated minor, is not presenting:
1. in immediate harm;
2. with need for urgent or emergent medical or mental health care; or
3. with a realistic fear of further abuse or neglect within the next 24 hours
At least one of these situations requires further investigation by the mandated reporter to determine whether the child has “realistic” fears, which runs contrary to our recommendation not to investigate.
Until we receive clarification and further guidance on this new online system, it remains our recommendation that teachers continue to call the Careline to avoid a situation where a child is in an emergent situation but where a mandated reporter might incorrectly use the online form. Per state statute and as indicated on the DCF online submission guidelines, “by failing to submit the information in full or submitting a report that is emergent, you have not met your responsibility as a mandated reporter,” which would constitute a failure to report.
Finally, CEA Member Legal Services is available to visit your district and provide training to your members on matters involving DCF, including the issues discussed above. Please contact your local president or UniServ Representative if you are interested in this training.
Please allow this to serve as a reminder that as a mandated reporter, and pursuant to Connecticut law, you must report suspected neglect or abuse within 12 hours. A failure to report may be considered an offense up to a Class E felony and may be punishable with jail time.
Be aware that DCF is now offering an online reporting option; however, we strongly recommend that teachers continue calling the Careline. The DCF Online Reporting Form is only to be used for a non-emergent suspicion, defined as a circumstance wherein there is suspicion of abuse or neglect and the alleged victim, or similarly situated minor, is not presenting:
1. in immediate harm;
2. with need for urgent or emergent medical or mental health care; or
3. with a realistic fear of further abuse or neglect within the next 24 hours
At least one of these situations requires further investigation by the mandated reporter to determine whether the child has “realistic” fears, which runs contrary to our recommendation not to investigate.
Until we receive clarification and further guidance on this new online system, it remains our recommendation that teachers continue to call the Careline to avoid a situation where a child is in an emergent situation but where a mandated reporter might incorrectly use the online form. Per state statute and as indicated on the DCF online submission guidelines, “by failing to submit the information in full or submitting a report that is emergent, you have not met your responsibility as a mandated reporter,” which would constitute a failure to report.
Finally, CEA Member Legal Services is available to visit your district and provide training to your members on matters involving DCF, including the issues discussed above. Please contact your local president or UniServ Representative if you are interested in this training.
*dcf Checklist*
*We Are #RedForEd*
California Educators and Students Fighting for Quality Public Education for All.
Please see the below link for more information.
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/redfored/?source=nea
Please see the below link for more information.
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/redfored/?source=nea
*CEA member Benefits*
As part of the state's largest teacher organization, you can take advantage of CEA's purchasing power with exclusive discounts at retailers, service providers, entertainment venues, and more. See how CEA continues to bring dollars and cents back to you.
Please see the below link for more information.
http://www.cea.org/memberbenefits/
Please see the below link for more information.
http://www.cea.org/memberbenefits/
*2019 Top Teachers' Priorities*
Please see the below link for the 2019 top teachers' priorities.
http://www.cea.org/politics/priorities/2019/
http://www.cea.org/politics/priorities/2019/
*Striking for Change*
Thousands of Los Angeles educators go on strike for smaller class sizes, more school nurses, counselors and psychologists, competitive wages and more. Demanding change is bold and difficult. Educators on the front line need our solidarity and support more than ever.
Please click here for more information.
Please click here for more information.
*Why Teachers in Los Angeles Are On Strike*
*Constitution June 2018*
*SEA Blitz 2017 / 2018*
The SEA/CEA conducted a Blitz in the Suffield Public School system. We asked each of our members (teachers) three simple questions. Each of the four schools had the same three questions but sometimes differed in their answers.
Please click here for more information.
Please click here for more information.
*Helpful Links*
The following links will allow you quick access to some of the most frequently accessed sites associated with the SEA: