Posted on Mon, May 24, 2010 : 1:30 p.m.
Willow Run teachers agree to take pay cuts
By David Jesse
Willow Run teachers and the school district have agreed to a new five-year contract, the Ypsilanti Citizen reports.
Among the terms of the new contract - pay cuts of 4 percent next year, 3 percent the year following and 2.5 percent the following year. Click here to read the entire story.
Other Washtenaw County school districts also are asking their teachers unions to agree to concessions as they grapple with budget deficits.
Several districts currently are in negotiations with unions.
Comments
Iluv2teach
Tue, May 25, 2010 : 8:35 p.m.
The MEA and Mr. Heim from Saline supported the Willow Run community through the unfortunate public mess that has ensued in recent years. Many of us from other area unions even helped with their school board campaigns last year. Is teachers taking cuts what we want? Of course not! We don't want ANYONE in Michigan taking cuts!
jondhall
Tue, May 25, 2010 : 11:30 a.m.
MEA has to go......... all they want is Socialism while they tear our school districts apart! I applaud the Willow Run teachers, now if we can get the MEAP scores up?
Jay Allen
Tue, May 25, 2010 : 8:27 a.m.
I thought that the MEA prohibited ANY district to renegotiate? How did WR do this and Saline cannot? I said this MONTHS ago, the MEA would rather have teachers working, albeit at a paycut vs having them laid off.
snapshot
Mon, May 24, 2010 : 10:25 p.m.
Congrats to the union for recognizing the need for financial concessions. To "baitm", why you think it is a deserving position to advocate the financial insulation of union members at the expense of so many suffering taxpayers is beyond contempt. The animosity your unyielding attitude creates is worth more than any campaign taxpayers could come up with to defeat any further millages for education or any other union represented profession. Your attitude is a liability to learning ability.
Steven Harper Piziks
Mon, May 24, 2010 : 5:33 p.m.
Very sad. The teaching conditions at Willow Run High School are extremely difficult, and now they're being made even worse with a salary reduction.
sh1
Mon, May 24, 2010 : 4:46 p.m.
How sad. I can't imagine any new graduates looking to Willow Run for a job next fall.
salinehornet
Mon, May 24, 2010 : 2:25 p.m.
Considering that Mr. Graden has "found" $40,000 to buy out any administrator that wants to retire things aren't as doom and gloom as he has painted them in Saline.
baitm
Mon, May 24, 2010 : 2:16 p.m.
teachers- while i recognize the great sacrifice you are making i bet the community won't even blink. they will only ask for more and now that you gave this much...12%, be prepared to gulp again when the state taxes teachers again next year. just like the smokers taxes: once they(lawmakers) taste the blood you're a donor for life. a five year contract is a bit shortsighted in this case.
InsideTheHall
Mon, May 24, 2010 : 2:08 p.m.
The MEA must be seething as Willow Run teachers are clearly going against the union "fat cat" bureaucracy. Ok Mr. Helm.....no more excuses in Saline. Give it up pal or face the music in 2012.