From the President s Desk NEGOTIATIONS 2018: BACK AT THE TABLE

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1 THE The Newspaper of Local 1776 The Association of Catholic Teachers 1776 SPIRIT OF Years Strong SANSOM STREET SUITE 903 PHILADELPHIA, PA VOLUME XXXVIII-NO.10 Fax website ( JULY 2018 From the President s Desk NEGOTIATIONS 2018: BACK AT THE TABLE It is almost August, rosters will be out at the end of the week and the Association and the System are back at the bargaining table for the first time in six weeks. The ACT Team was fortified with the unanimously approved Strike Authorization from the General Membership Meeting as well as the unanimous vote of Solidarity by the Association s Executive Board on June 25. The Executive Board expresses its solidarity with the ACT Negotiating Team and its decisions. The Executive Board hopes that the contract will be resolved through good faith bargaining. It was unfortunate that the negotiators for the Association and the System could not come to agreement at the end of the school year and that there was no Best and Final Offer from the System on which the ACT members could vote. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 2) 1

2 FROM THE PRESIDENT... (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1) What makes the resumed contract talks so much more problematic is the System s insistence that all of the proposals on the table in April need to be back on the table. Many of these original proposals were settled during the two-day marathon sessions in June. With the System putting everything back on the table, we are, once again, at Square One. It would have been difficult enough to come to agreement negotiating just the unresolved items, most dealing with language issues. To mix the resolved with the unresolved has negotiations moving backwards. This is, definitely, not good faith bargaining. Negotiations will continue through August and, more than likely, over Labor Day weekend. The ACT Team will work very hard to bring back to you, the members, a new Labor-Management Agreement that you can approve. However, with nothing agreed to and only a month to go, this will, certainly, be a challenge. As always, the ACT Team will keep you updated. Please keep both Teams in your prayers. Rita At the ACT Executive Board Meeting on June 25, 5 days before Holy Cross Academy would close its doors after 60 years, the Board unanimously voted approval of the following RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION: The faculty of Holy Cross has been a strong and active part of the Association of Catholic Teachers since 1970 when the teachers at Holy Cross voted ACT as their collective bargaining representative. Over the next 48 years, ACT members at Holy Cross continued to be a strong and united voice for Catholic School Unionism. With the closing of Holy Cross on June 30, 2018, the Executive Board thanks all of the teachers who have served Holy Cross during the 48 years of Association representation for their unfailing support. 2

3 LANCER S LOCAL Sadly, on June 30, 2018, Holy Cross Academy closed its doors for the last time as the diocesan high school that opened in The school will re-open in September under the auspices of a group of Holy Cross Alumni who will operate the high school as a private entity. On June 14, 2018, ACT held a farewell luncheon at Dooney s Pub in Delran, New Jersey for active and retired union members in a show of support, and to thank them for their many years of membership and support to the Association. We wish the members and retirees of the Holy Cross Academy well and we will continue to support them in any way necessary to make sure that their severance pay, health benefits, and retirement benefits remain as negotiated. 3

4 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE The following Legislative Report was submitted by ACT Legislative Representative, David Sommers, at the ACT Executive Board Meeting held on Monday, June 25, PA House: 1. HB1745: This Act would provide for a tuition and fee waiver program for youth who are or have been in substitute care. Last Action: Referred to House Education Committee. 2. HB564: Civics Graduation Requirement provides for assessment of basic civics knowledge in grades 7-12 beginning in the school year. Last Action: Became Law (Act No. 35) on June 19, 2018 signed by the Governor. PA Senate: 1. SB2 Education Savings Account: First consideration, May 22, 2018 in Senate. Last Action: Removed from the table June 20, 2018 (Senate). 2. SB1181: Student Mental Health Screenings An act that would provide early warnings through school health services screenings to alert and provide intervention for depression in students. First consideration in the Senate June 12, School Safety PA Senate is working on several plans/bills regarding increasing school safety. Schools would be required to develop a Comprehensive School Safety Assessment plan in conjunction with several government agencies such as the Department of Education and PA State Police. The goal of any legislation would be to create a more uniform school safety code. 4. U.S. HR5107 This bill requires the Department of Education to award grants to local education agencies to secure elementary and secondary schools, including by completing a security assessment for each school and making improvements based on such assessment. Last action: Introduced in House 02/27/2018. VARIA: On-going state budget negotiations. Will impact our amount of Act 95 textbook money allocations. Update: Passed the PA House 188 to 10 on June 20, 2018; Passed the PA Senate on June 22, $32.7 billion dollar budget with $60 million dollars allotted for school safety. 4

5 ACT WEBSITE All teachers are asked to logon to the ACT Website ( and verify your personal information. It is critical that we have your current information and that it is accurate, since this is a contract year. It is important that we have a PERSONAL address for you, since contract information and updates, Executive Board Minutes, and other pertinent information will be sent via . We cannot and will not send to a school address. Every teacher was provided with a username and password for the ACT Website. (New teachers will receive their log-on information in their welcome packet.) If you do not have this information, please contact Ginny at the ACT Office at or her at ginny@act1776.com and she can provide this information to you. To update your personal information, logon to the ACT Website and, in the upper right hand corner of the homepage, click on member login. Type in your username and password and then verify the information on file. Any changes made will be sent to the ACT Office automatically. SENIOR DELEGATE ELECTION HELD The following ACT members have been elected Senior Delegate for the school year. Msgr. Bonner/Abp. Prendergast - James Vernon Abp. Carroll - Lou Valenti Conwell-Egan - Evan Ortiz John W. Hallahan - Anthony Polselli St. Hubert - John Masluk Father Judge - Mary Jones Lansdale Catholic - Lucille Pritchard Little Flower - Arnold Ronzoni Bishop McDevitt - Dorothy Burdziak Sts. Neumann/Goretti Michael Sheehan Cardinal O Hara Thomas Imburgia Pope John Paul II Eric Wahl Roman Catholic James Brennan Abp. Ryan Glen Galeone BishopShanahan David Sommers West Catholic Teresa McGill Abp. Wood Robert Rowan ACT wishes to recognize and give special thanks to our outgoing delegates: Michael Mason (AW) and Nicole Roper (WC). A special welcome to our new Senior Delegates: Robert Rowan (AW) and Teresa McGill (WC). 5

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8 IMPORTANT SUMMER INFORMATION OFFICE HOURS: The ACT Office will operate on a summer schedule throughout the month of August. The hours of operation will be Monday through Friday, 9:30 to 3:30. ADDRESS CHANGES -- If you are in the process of moving, or have already moved to a new address, don t forget to call the ACT Office with your new address and phone number. You can also visit the ACT Webpage and log-on to your personal page to update your information. IF YOUR PERSONAL ADDRESS HAS CHANGED, OR WILL CHANGE OVER THE SUMMER, PLEASE NOTIFY THE ACT OFFICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. INSURANCE CARDS - If you are in need of a new dental, medical or vision card, contact ginny at ginny@act1776.com. FREEDOM CREDIT UNION The Freedom Credit Union offers teachers and their families a wide range of financial opportunities. For more information visit the credit union s website at The phone number for the Freedom Credit Union is SUMMER TIME IS A GREAT TIME TO SEE A MOVIE The ACT Office keeps a limited supply of movie tickets on hand for teachers to purchase at a discounted rate. We have REGAL/UNITED ARTISTS and AMC Tickets Available. AMC Tickets are $10.50 per ticket. Effective July 1, 2018 Regal Tickets are $9.25 per ticket. If you are interested in purchasing tickets, please send a check payable to the Association of Catholic Teachers with your request. An order form can be found on the home page of the Association s Website at Please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope with your ticket request. 8

9 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 4, :00 A. M. PENNS LANDING CATERERS 1301 South Columbus Boulevard Philadelphia, PA AGENDA Contract Vote 9