AFSCME 3357-HOF'S BLOG

Detroit Teachers Get Contract 0% First Year Raise BUT New Legal Services Benefit
Large Number of Teacher Contracts Up for Grabs in Indiana

After a 15 day strike, the Detroit Federation of Teachers resolved its labor dispute. The teachers drew a line in the sand when the administration went into negotiations demanding a 5% pay CUT and other accommodations from the teachers. The net result of the negotiations is a contract that results in a 0% increase the first year, a 1% increase the 2nd year, and a 2.5% increase the third year. The teachers made some work-rule concessions but gained a legal services benefit. The teachers apparently successfully fended off demands that they pay substantially more toward their healthcare costs. It should be noted that Detroit teachers were significantly better paid than average, with an average salary in 2005 of $57,702, substantially higher than the average pay of UAW-LSP lawyers.

This last point should be of interest to members of AFSCME 3357. We are facing an inevitable shrinking of our union and continual pressure on our jobs and our salaries unless we somehow loosen the tie between our jobs and the domestic unionized auto industry. The most fundamental UAW Legal Services Plans and establishing a marketing presence.

Teachers Unions may be a prime target market. According to an Indianapolis Star article published this morning, the number of teachers working with unsettled contracts is at a historic high. One hundred and twenty-one out of two hundred and ninety-three districts are working without a contract. Judging from anecdotal reports of recent negotiations in Indiana, the teachers' contracts that are settling are delivering 2% pay raises for the teachers. The addition of a low-cost legal services benefit may be just the thing to sweeten a package enough to get it approved. Matching new business to capacity within the current UAW-LSP structure could be a challenge. According to Wikipedia, Detroit has approximately 7,000 teachers. That's enough to keep two UAW-LSP offices busy.