TABCO

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Welcome to TABCO

Unity...Now More Than Ever!

CALL TO ACTION...CALL TO ACTION...CALL TO ACTION...CALL TO ACTION...CALL TO ACTION

Have you signed the AIM petition yet? As your TABCO President, I am asking everyone to keep the pressure on. You can help by signing petitions, writing letters, emails and blogging on the latest Baltimore Sun blogs.  Are you keeping updated by reading my emails? If not, ask your TABCO school rep about them. Encourage your school's principal to contact their professional association, CASE, and ask that they take a stand as a group against AIM. Many principals have told us they support our efforts, but no official stand has been taken by CASE.

Write, call or email your Board of Education Members, County Executive and County Council, and the news media. Go to the Baltimore Sun and blog about AIM at http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/education/blog/2009/12/baltimore_county_teachers_conc.html.  This is just the beginning. TABCO members and nonmembers will you join us by writing, calling and emailing? It's up to you. Read Cheryl Bost, TABCO President's Call to Action sent to reps. Use this AIM data describing time spent and information needed in your letters, emails and calls: 1st grade tally, 2nd grade tally and 3rd grade tally.

Baltimore County Council Members Olszewski, Sr., Moxley, McIntyre, Oliver, Kamenentz and Bartenfelder have written letters of support regarding teachers feelings about AIM.

Blog on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=info&ref=search&gid=234345346734.

Could it Happen to Me?  What If...

* A child was injured on the playground while you were covering a class?
* Your paycheck was shorted for no apparent reason?
* You are the object of a written complaint by a parent?
* You receive an unsatisfactory observation?
* You are reprimanded for something posted on "My Space."

Each of the above situations actually took place. We could have written 50 more examples. In each case, the Association provided help for the members involved and brought about a successful resolution of the problem. Isn't it time you joined TABCO?

TABCO Victories - 5 Arbitrations won to date:

 Brief descriptions of arbitration rulings, not actual wording.

#1- Western School of Technology- (A year ago) TABCO’s position was upheld that because of bus schedules, even at a magnet school, the work day for teachers cannot be extended beyond the 7 hour work day. Back pay was awarded.

#2- Lansdowne HS- TABCO’s position was upheld that parent conference nights can be scheduled, but teacher participation is not mandatory. Parent conferences shall be set through mutual agreement between the teacher and the parent. Back pay was awarded to those who had been required to stay.

#3- Stoneleigh ES- TABCO’s position was upheld that the Faculty Council and the administration shall mutually determine the number, type, and time (entire time) of non-emergency faculty meetings, and have mutual involvement in the development of the agenda.

#4- Sick Leave Bank- TABCO’s position was upheld that the TABCO Sick Leave Bank Committee decides approval and denial of sick leave bank claims after review. BCPS had given out over 250 days of bank days even after the bank denied payment. Repayment of the days given must be reimbursed to the bank by BCPS.

#5- Ridge Ruxton/White Oak School- TABCO’s position was upheld that the 7 hour work day cannot be extended when administrators assign or request teachers to supervise students when buses are late or students are not picked up by the end of the 7 hour day. That includes no assigned bus duty before the 7 hour day as well. We are working on appropriate back pay and other matters to finalize the case.

Save on Your Heating Oil This Fall

 

As a member of NEA/MSEA, you’re eligible for substantial discounts and a free service contract through HEAT USA, the country’s largest heating oil buying group. HEAT USA uses its purchasing power to negotiate lower prices from carefully screened local heating oil companies.

Service is available in some or all of these Maryland counties—Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Harford, Howard and Prince George’s. Find out if your residence is eligible or call 1-888-NEA4-OIL to get started.

     MSEA is working hard to pass the Fairness in Negotiations Act

This bill establishes a process for a neutral third party to decide labor disputes between local public school employer and local public school employees within a specific time frame with a decision that is binding on both parties. To learn more, click on the information at "What's New" to the right. What can you do? Write or call your state representatives and ask them to support this important bill.

Salary Increases Negotiated

After many months of negotiations, TABCO was able to obtain the attached increases. Start by looking at the first salary schedule. Then look at the January 2010 increases on the second salary schedule. Several examples of how to calculate your salary can be found on the calculation document. 

Health Benefits Update - No Changes

• Employer/employee premium cost splits remain the same 90/10. Employees are paying 10% of the total health care premium and BCPS is paying 90%. All plan items i.e. copays, prescriptions, covered items, remain the same.
• Retiree health benefits cost levels are as follows: retiree Pre-65: 10-19 years of service in BCPS employee pays 50%; 20-29 years of service in BCPS employee pays 25%; 30 or more years of service in BCPS employee pays 10%. NOTE: Service as BCPS employee only for retiree health benefit calculation.
• As a result of negotiations, BCPS provides same sex and opposite sex domestic partner benefits. Needed documentation and paperwork along with all health benefit information is located at www.bcps.org click on “offices,” then “benefits.”
• TABCO members can contact their TABCO UniServ Director if assistance is needed.

Teacher Pensions Too High?

Here’s the issue: Wednesday’s Baltimore Sun had an article (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/bal-md.pensions21oct21,0,3665833.story)  about a 54-year-old, five-term (20 year) Baltimore County Councilman qualifying for a $54,000 annual pension benefit. WBAL radio has used it as a rallying point to rail against all public sector pensions.

Here’s the question: 

This caused me to think…just what would a school employee need to do to earn such a pension benefit?

Here’s the math: The current pension system credits each year since July 1998 at 1.8 percent (the multiplier) times average three year salary. Prior years use a 1.2 percent multiplier.

 Step 30 of the 2008-09 TABCO Masters degree scale is $72,758. This would approximate a 3-year average for someone retiring at the end of the 2009-10 school year. This member would get 21.6 percent (12 years times 1.8 percent) of $72,758, or a $15,716 benefit, for the years since 1998. That leaves them $38,284 short of the $54,000 total. $38,284 is 52.6 percent of $72,758. Since the pre-1998 multiplier is 1.2 percent, 52.6 divided by 1.2 is about 44 years. 44 pre-1998 years plus 12 post-1998 years combine to generate a $54,000 pension.

Here’s the conclusion: With 56 years of school employment a TABCO member could match the $54,000 pension. Of course, someone who worked 56 years would be starting their annuity around the age of 77, not 54. Know the facts! The pension benefits of school employees are not excessive. Anyone who claims they are hasn't done the math.

 By David Helfman, Executive Director MSEA

 

A great gift idea... TABCO sells movie  tickets for the reduced rate of $6.00. The tickets are good at all AMC Theaters with no expiration date (some restrictions may apply).

Additional resources and items of interest:
Extra Duties Activities Clarification
How to Read Your Paycheck or visit http://www.bcps.org/offices/payroll/       
Review your teaching certificate!
State Pension Sessions
NEW Homebuyers Incentives
NEA Dental & Vision Program
TABCO Dues for 2009 tax purposes
Scholarships: Types and Amounts, Detailed Information, Application
Auto & Homeowners Insurance for TABCO Members Only

 

 

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Key to Abbreviations Used on this Website

AR = Association Representative for TABCO
BCPS = Baltimore County Public Schools
BOD = TABCO Board of Directors
BOE = BCPS Board of Education
MSEA = Maryland State Education Association
NEA = National Education Association
RA = TABCO Representative Assembly
TABCO = Teachers Association of Baltimore County
TSLB = TABCO Sick Leave Bank