PIO Legal Notice

Attached you will find the Contract between the Professional Instructors Organization and Western Michigan University.

The Professional Instructors Organization represents over 400 part-time instructors at Western Michigan University.

Welcome to ULFA website. Our goal is to provide a way for you (our members) to keep informed regarding the latest Union news and issues, as well as encourage you to become more actively involved in ULFA.

The latest research on merit pay indicates that it doesn't work.  Teachers already spend excessive time on their jobs that a small increase is not incentive enough to make any difference. An excerpt from the article:

In a three-year experiment funded by the federal grant and aided by the Rand Corp., researchers tracked what happened in Nashville schools when math teachers in grades 5 through 8 were offered bonuses of $5,000, $10,000 and $15,000 for hitting annual test-score targets. About 300 teachers volunteered. Researchers randomly assigned half of the participants to a control group ineligible for the bonuses and the other half to an experimental group that could receive bonuses if their students reached certain benchmarks.

 Researchers designed the bonuses to be large enough to function as a legitimate incentive for teachers whose average salary, according to a union official, is between $40,000 and $50,000. There were no additional variables in the experiment: no professional development, mentoring or other elements meant to affect test scores. The bonuses, totaling nearly $1.3 million, were funded by businessman Orrin Ingram, according to news reports. A university spokeswoman said Tuesday evening that she could not confirm those reports, and Ingram could not be reached for comment.

On the whole, researchers found no significant difference between the test results from classes led by teachers eligible for bonuses and those led by teachers who were ineligible. Bonuses appeared to have some positive effect in the fifth grade, researchers said, but they discounted that finding in part because the difference faded out when students moved to the sixth grade.

This is why it is critical that we elect Brown for governor and Torlakson for superintendent.  They are less likely to resort to merit pay boondoggles.

The SF Chronicle has endorsed  Proposition 25 as a way to end the partisan gridlock in Sacramento when it comes to passing a budget.  Prop. 25 would require only a majority vote (50% +1) instead of the current 2/3rds majoirty to pass a budget.  It retains the 2/3rds majority to increase taxes.

Vote yes on prop 25

Negotiations Update
June, 2004
OFT Ratification Vote: 153 yes, 2 no
Transfers and Reassignments: This topic was carried over from last year's negotiations. As our enrollment declines, transfers and reassignments will become more common. This replacement article clarifies various types of transfers, provides for monetary compensation for transfers and reassignments, and ensures that teachers are not arbitrarily transferred by creating a review panel. Teachers will also participate in the planning process for staffing at sites.

Three-grade Combination Compensation: In order to recognize the extra efforts required for a triple combination class, teachers will now get a $200 stipend. This becomes a permanent part of the contract.

Leaves: Last year's side letter on leaves will now become a permanent part of the contract, clearly delineating the rights of teachers returning from leaves. Sections containing nebulous and conflicting verbiage will be removed.

Preparation Time: This article makes permanent the side letter on Kindergarten preparation time, and creates blocks of student free preparation time for elementary teachers.

Benefits: All health benefits will remain unchanged.

Welcome to the Ojai Federation of Teacher's Brand New site!

Note:Some downloadable PDF files need Adobe Reader inorder to be viewed.

The "Denim for Dollars, Dollars for Scholars" campaign has raised money to provide scholarships to graduating seniors planning on attending college. If you wear denim on Fridays, you are encouraged to donate a dollar to the MTA Scholarship fund. Lynn Ryan (@ Appleby) and Tammy McDougal (@ the HS) will be collecting the donations. These scholarships are made possible because teachers love denim on Fridays! (Click on heading to see 2011 recipients)

Welcome to nmcft.org. We are a union of certificated professionals dedicated to providing the best possible educational outcomes for our students, and the most productive and fair working conditions for our members.