You are here: Home / Local / Letters to the Dagger / Cerveny: "Regardless of the Innocent Façade Painted by County Executive Craig, Accepting Such a 'Bonus' Without Negotiating it Would Erode Educators' Collective Bargaining Rights…"
Cerveny: "Regardless of the Innocent Façade Painted by County Executive Craig, Accepting Such a 'Bonus' Without Negotiating it Would Erode Educators' Collective Bargaining Rights…"
February 10, 2012 By A Dagger Reader
From Randy Cerveny, President of Harford County Education Association (HCEA):
HCEA celebrates having protected the negotiation rights of Harford County's teachers. The Harford County Education Association reached a tentative agreement with the Harford County Board of Education negotiations team to discuss the disbursement of the $1,250 in supplemental funds from the County Executive.
The Harford County Education Association has the responsibility of upholding the rights of its members. By ensuring that the additional funding from the County Council was negotiated, HCEA protected the rights of our teachers and the school system. Our schools depend on our ability to collaborate—successfully, efficiently, and appropriately—to create the best possible school system for our children.
More than 40 years ago, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation guaranteeing the right of educators to bargain with school boards over salary, benefits, and working conditions. These rights have been crucial to building the great public schools that make our state and county great places to live and to our efforts to recruit and retain outstanding educators. Regardless of the innocent façade painted by County Executive Craig, accepting such a "bonus" without negotiating it would erode educators' collective bargaining rights and our county's long history of effective collaboration.
Protecting the rights of teachers safeguards the integrity and rights of the school system, leading to better and stronger schools for our students. Negotiating this funding is an important part of doing what's right for our county by investing in our schools, educators, and children's future. We must ensure that the spirit of collaboration and negotiation remain strong in Harford County so that together we can ensure that our county provides the great public schools that children, businesses, and families depend on.
Randy Cerveny
President of Harford County Education Association (HCEA)
About A Dagger Reader
Send Us Your Letters
Treeddy1 says
The only one who's value is eroding is Cerveny's. To stand in the way of a much deserved bonus, just to prove the union's power, is ludicrous. Time to grow up and do the right thing. I under stand the desire to try and turn a bonus into a pay raise, but these are tough times and the money could have been in these familiy's hands for the holidays.
Well Randy says it is so, gosh thank goodness for Randy. It is rare that you see someone who is as out of touch as our dear friend Randy.
Let's go over this one more time so maybe our '"hero" will finally get it. The teachers do not work for the union, the union works for the teachers. When this bonus came up it was clear that a majority of the tea hers wanted it. So dear Randy your job was no make it happen.
BUT as you say the union was more important then the people, so you had to drag it out, oops I mean you had to barging it. Cause that was what the UNION wanted not the PEOPLE. (if I may I think you actually thought you were super smart and could make yourself the hero by getting into the salary structure but I guess Daddy Craig taught you a lesson).
So to wrap up here, got to get my second job, let's review. Randy you as union leadership work for the teachers (for now) the teachers do not work for you.
? says
Are you really a teacher? Do you proof read?
Sabbas says
"HCEA celebrates having protected the negotiation rights of Harford County's teachers" … they seem to focus on the protecting while neglecting the negotiation part and end up doing neither! Can the teachers just get their $1250 already?!? Or is this being railroaded again?
ProudDemocrat says
I would have been a terrible decision for us to take the $1250 and in the process destroy our ability to negotiate for the 3% COLA that we have been denied this year. Why is nobody seeing this – IF THE UNION HAD ACCEPTED THE BONUS WITHOUT FIRST ASSURING THE BONUS DIDN'T NEGATE OUR CURRENT NEGOTIATIONS, THEN WE WOULD STAND TO LOSE – YES LOSE – ANY CHANCE OF GETTING THE COLA THAT WE WERE PROMISED. Would you really support losing the fight for the COLA to get a bonus that will be taxed at over 40%?
ALEX R says
TAxed at 40%? Wow! You guys make a lot more than you say you make.
A bonus is taxed differently from standard payroll…
Brianczaw says
Classic "Cut your nose off to spite your face."
Free Market says
What is missing in the formula of collective bargaining? The County Government which has the budget to pay it. This system Randy is the Fantasy Football for teachers. Until the County Government is in from the start you have no bargain!!!!!!!
Ryan Burbey says
Ideally, County Govt. the Board of Education and the bargaining units should work in concert for the benefit of the citizens. It is unfortunate that the County Executive has chosen to politicize education funding. Bonus aside his efforts to underfund education may jeopardize continued state funding levels and inhibit the school board's ability to develop the programs necessary to prepare our children for their future in the 21st century. Likewise, the lack of sufficient funds has inhibited the board's ability to attract and retain the best and brightest new teachers. Why should they stay in a county where their work is not respected? Why should they come to a county where their salary and benefits are constantly under attack? Why would anyone build a future in a county where they can not county on a stable foundation?
The HCEA is fighting to protect teachers' rights, students' rights and the quality of education in our county. You can question this. You can deride this. However, we will not relent. We will continue to fight. Our teachers and students deserve better than 16th.
I am not just a teacher and union member, I am a parent. I greatly concerns me that our schools, the cornerstone of our democracy and catalyst of our children's future are being used as a political football. To those of you who believe that our schools are adequately funded and are competitive, do some research, take a tour of some of the schools in our high poverty areas or some of our older schools, go to the Great Schools site; the Harford County Board of Education is doing the best they can. At times they have been forced to put preserving the integrity of the program over their commitment to their employees. Don't believe the hype. This has been a direct result of deliberate underfunding by our County Executive. Submit a public information request. Get the fund balance and revenue. Get the rainy day fund balance. Then tell me that one of the richest counties in the state can't afford to fully fund their schools. Every citizen should be outraged at this irresponsibility and deception on the part of our County Executive.
Engineer says
If you look at the number of people in the system that don't have teaching positions and what they are payed, you will find part of your problem.
Actually, The administrative side of HCPS is very comparable to every other system in the state. Like teachers they are largely paid less than their counterparts in other systems.
Openings advertised on the HCPS web page: Assistant Principal ( 12 months ) $92,298 Assistant Principal ( 10 month ) $85,011
Principals $100,857 – $106,999 How many HCPS employees do not teach and what is the total compensation?
http://www.hcps.org/boe/budget/content/FY13/FY13Positions.pdf
http://www.greatschools.org/
You should be able to get all the info you need here.
The Assistant Principal and Principal vacancies are to become part of a pool of candidates.
Mike says
not sure where you went to school, but if you went to Bel Air, you must not have paid attention. Your use of he word "payed" indicates a severe deficiency in elementary school spelling. I think, in fact, we learned the difference between "payed" and "paid" in third grade. Just sayin'.
Shocked says
This is the most shocking of any of your posts to date. You found someone to procreate with???
Actually, more than once…
Bryan Bruebery says
Ryan is right we must double or even triple taxes in Harford County and double teacher's pay. Only then will our children have improved educational outcomes.
Teachers are our future and I will not rest until teacher's entry pay is $100,000!
Join me in the teacher's crusade for more tax money.
We don't need to double taxes, we might not need to increase them at all. What we need is to make sure that our schools are fully funded and given the tools to prepare our students.
Ryan we must work hard to raise teacher's pay to over $100K. We must raise property taxes to do it.
And yes we may need cost per student per year to rise to $25K, so be it even if taxes double or triple. We have a lot of wealth in Harford County that we can redirect to teacher pay.
Once entry teacher pay is 100K, you'll NEVER rest. You couldn't work enough hours to pay the taxes that would require. This comment was a joke, right?
Ryan Burbrey and I will not rest until teacher pay is over $100K and retirement at 55 with 80% pay is reality.
All we need to do is double property taxes to achieve this goal.
@ Ryan Blah, blah…….There are teachers waiting for jobs and if they leave we will find new ones. Yes go look at the schools in Edgewood they are new and Beautiful. Ryan I went to school in an old cold in winter, hot in summer catholic school and children are still in the 75 yr old school. Those teacher don't make as much as public school teachers and I don't here them using the students to get their way.
The High School in Edgewood is new. It is nice but is not as nice as the one built in Bel Air.
Edgewood Elementary built in 1969
Homestead/Wakefield built in 1958
Wm.S.James built in 1976
Wm.Paca Old Post RD built in 1964
Edgewood Middle built in 1965
Magnolia Middle built in 1979
Old School says
Oh I guess the county build a school in Edgewood that is less than the Bel Air HS School. Ryan, I have been in both schools and they are beauiful. I do not buy your argument about the age of the school. I went to Bel Air High in the 90's my school was the worst high in the county for facilities. What I did have was great teachers that prepared me for college and to be a success in life. It is enviroment and caring teachers that us a success. I work in the social services field and would love to earn more money. I do my job to help others and knew that when I took the job. Teacher, Police, Firefighter and Social Workers all know what they sign up for when they enter those fields. Ryan we do what is right for society and that what makes me happy.
TechEquity says
Hello "Old School",
If you went to BAHS in the 90's that would make you less than 30 something yrs old. Not exactly what I would consider "Old School" but ok. If you remember what it was like when you went there consider that it just got worse every day until over a decade later it was finally replaced.
Take a look at the school construction dates above and consider that a brand new school has the very latest in tech while the PARENTS have funded technology in many of the schools listed above. (that list is missing one or two by the way).
Good teachers are invaluable but to argue that equity is achieved by school spirit and staff alone… well, I'd suggest you shut down your computer and try to reply to me with your looseleaf notebook.
Someone in the social services sector would, no doubt, HAVE to recognize the difference of todays Twitter and Facebook driven social activism. It's not the 50's when some of these buildings were built and it's not the 90's when you (Old School) went to school. We're about to see more tech jobs than anything else in our area. A system not providing parity with tech is about the same as only providing text books to new schools.
I apologize to the teachers for any side-stepping of their negotiations issue but I felt that this deserved a response. It seems to me like Mr. Burbey has annoyed someone at the county level and they are writing back under multiple pseudonyms.
btw, I'd like to know what Catholic School "Free Market" went to. There is a HUGE difference between schools like IND/Pompei and John Carroll/Loyola. Catholic schools are WAY different depending on the neighborhood they serve. I'm pretty sure that public schools are supposed to avoid this. I'm not sure from where the differences in HCPS schools emanate -but I am sure that the playing field is NOT level.
I am not arguing for more money. I am arguing that schools must be funded properly to be improved. I am committed and work hard but that won't change the quality of infrastructure and resources in the schools which my kids attend, nor will their teachers' hard work.
I have been in both schools, as well as, Aberdeen High there are pronounced differences even though all three were built with the same basic architectural plan. I can't find the data now but if I remember correctly Bel AIr was profoundly over budget and cost significantly more than the other two. This is not a new development(pardon the pun) look at Aberdeen Middle and South Hampton Middle, obvious sister schools. One has many luxuries that the other did not get. Look at the public libraries. Look at the community centers. To deny that the public facilities are better in the more affluent neighborhoods is to deny reality or to be blind to it.
Phil Dirt says
Southampton (one word, Ryan the teacher) Middle has luxuries? Where do they hide them?
And you left Bel Air Middle School off your list – opened 1961. Much more lavish than anything in Edgewood. The heat actually works sometimes and is almost enough to counter the wind pouring through the leaks around the numerous all-window corridors.
So did I but we were not asked to do what we are asking kids to do today. Kids in eighth grade are learning what we learned in 10th, geometry, etc. Likewise, Tandy was a great computer when I was in middle school and animation was making a balloon float across the screen. Like is or not the world is spinning fas and we need to do more than provide our kids with the "basics". Check out where schools are going…http://www.corestandards.org/
When will we fund schools at $25K per student per year?
Ambrosino says
I applaud Randy's efforts. He preserved the rights of the teachers and preserved the integrity of the negotiation process. The teachers will get their bonus money without having it cost them future bargaining rights. Congratulations Randy for doing what is right in the face of adversity!
Jordu says
Ambrosino, I'm not really sure why there are so many dislikes to your comment, especially since it is true. Randy Cerveny was completely correct in saying that if the bonuses were handed down without negotiation, it would have set a legal precedent that would have eroded the ability for HCEA to negotiate teacher pay raises and benefits.
Then again, I think I just figured out why so many people dislike that. It's pretty apparent that this forum is not exactly "teacher friendly" and most people here would like nothing more than to see teachers have no means to improve their personal situations.
Please join Ryan Burbrey and me to sign wave for $100K teacher pay in front of Wegmans today at 2:00PM and Sunday at 12:00 noon.
Ryan Burbrey will be giving a seminar Marx/Lenin social justice and atheistic prayer.
Join the Teacher's Crusade for More Tax Money today!
Retired Teachers for More Pension Money says
We stand with the Teacher's Crusade for More Tax Money, Ryan Burbrey and Bryan Bruebery for increasing teacher's pay to a minimum of $100,000.
This is the most self serving, cover my a$$ letter I have ever read.
Qualified says
If Mr. Cerveny ever had to get a job in the real word, he would be unemplored.
I have never advocated for $100,000 teacher salaries. What I am advocating is a focus on education. We must innovate, renovate and invigorate our schools. You can't do that by bashing teachers and administration.
Ryan, you forgot a comma after "renovate". Come on, you can do better.
Actually by current grammar conventions the comma before and is superfluous. It is accepted but not necessary.
As usual, Ryan is wrong.
The comma before 'and', referred to as the serial comma, Oxford comma, or Harvard comma, is recommended by the Chicago Manual of Style (possibly the most respected US English style guide) to reduce ambiguity. While omitting the comma can produce clear and unambiguous writing, including it always does.
Phil, You are truly a marvel…Read and be informed…
The Basic Rule for Commas in a Series
In most cases, use or omission of the serial comma is equally correct, but in certain circumstances the comma should be included or omitted based on clarity, style, or preference. The following sentences are generally considered correct, especially in casual, email, or internet writing.
Patty ate a sandwich, a bag of chips, and an orange for lunch.
Patty ate a sandwich, a bag of chips and an orange for lunch.
The fact that you are a teacher does not make you a writer. Give me an example where the serial comma is wrong, please.
Stillwell says
@Phil Dirt
If you want to give grammar and spelling lessons I recommend you take Cdev on as a project.
Stillwell, I don't have THAT much time on my hands!
In Search of Common Sense says
If you're seeking common sense when dealing with this school administration or its key players, forget it…
http://www.daggerpress.com/forums/topic/school-bureaucracy-lacks-common-sense/
1st Citizen says
Free Market, you are right we should be dealing directly with the County and not the BOE. And if we leave they might be able to replace us. But the recruiters will have to go farther away than NY and Ohio where they have been getting teachers for the last few years-who then seem to leave after about 3 years. For some reason, MD kids gravitate to AA & PG County.
Old school, yes we love our jobs. But, mortgages, children, broken contracts, and lies can strain that love.
And for more 6 figure salaries, move above the school administrators. Look at what the salaries are in the Palace. Find out how many scheduled salary increases they have missed.
Teachers must not get into this trap of debating whether or not we should have the right to negotiate with the school board over our salary. Negotiating with the county council will benefit neither teachers nor students. The county council is far too politically influenced and does not have any requirement of expertise in the area of school system operation or funding. The board, while now a bit more political than before, still has people appointed that have some understanding of education plus the superintendent who is an education professional. Far better for the students' and teachers' sake that we negotiate with the school board, NOT the county council or the county executive…
KEESHA JACKSON says
PROUDDEMOCRAT,
What you mean is that the school board is politically influenced by people you like because they are O'Malley appointees. But the County Council, who is elected locally, are politically motivated by the majority of the people in Harford COunty who elected them. People you don't agree with. As long as Cerveny is part of HCEA leadership the teachers have no effective representation. He decided to take on the Board and the County in a fight that he was unable to win. He lost. Teachers suffered. And all of them look like second rate chumps. Him for his lack of leadershoip and the teachers befcause they elected him. And he is now spending all of his energy daily trying to convince everyone he was right. He wasn't.
Oh, does anyone think there is a connection between the Bonus program and the recent letter I received from our beloved county exec and his state-wide education (fact finding for a run at the state house) tour???
Nah, doubt it…
One seriously needs to wonder if Mr. Craig intentionally offered the bonus in an attempt to derail the re-negotiation over the current contract. If the impasse continues and the Labor Board rules in the teachers' favor, the county may be required to fund the system more fully than he has in the past two years (there has been "giveth and taketh away" going on at the CE's office concerning the school system and MOE). I can see a scenario whereby County Executive Craig wished to assure he both holds system funding and wins over teacher political support by offering the bonus (hoping that bonus trips up current negotiation over the 2011-2012 impasse and stops the process from going back to the Labor Board). It is in many ways a masterful political stroke by David Craig, one that has set teachers against each other and weakened the power of the HCEA.
I should add that despite my screen name, I do not see this maneuver as a partisan move as much as a political move. I could see a Democratic executive making the same decision. What we really need to hope is that the teachers and citizens of Harford County are intelligent enough to see this fiasco for what it is – and the comment response to this article does not make me overly optimistic…
ProudDemocrat, I am working tirelessly to raise teacher pay to exceed $100,000.
CDEV says
I think you are very correct. He announced the bonuses the day after the labor board hearing that did not go to well for the county!