Seattle Association of Educational Office Professionals

Dear SAEOP Members:

These past few weeks have contained a lot of activity for members of our unit, some good and some unfortunate.  My heart goes out to those who were told that they would be receiving RIF notices; even if one knows that budget funds are tight, it is still hard.  Building ARs received an email this morning alerting them to the classified situation and suggestions for those who have been RIFFed to investigate.  I have a copy of that email if any of you are interested in reading it.

Our dinner is scheduled for May 27th at Salty's and SAEOP was able to make it more affordable for members this year.  Please send your reservations to Sue Daley at Greenwood School, EG-230.  It promises to be a festive evening; one of our board members will provide entertainment during the 5:00 No-Host Bar Hour.  We will present our Scholarship Winner, have a short business meeting, introduce our PSP recipients, and have prizes and door prizes.

We have news on two important fronts and it is important that you make a point to regularly check our SAEOP website, www.saeop.org.  One is bargaining.  There is no doubt by now you have heard the furor over the handling of the teacher contracts for next year.  One of the things we bargain is the calendar, the other compensation.  This will prove interesting as we resume talks the week of May 18th.  I have asked Cheryl, our webmaster, to create a link to the district's website so you can see what they are posting for staff, parents, and the public to read.  We will also establish links so that you can read the daily bargaining news that is being written by SEA and sent through the ARs.  Glenn has told me that I can also write and publish articles on this link as well; I will be posting the information that I gave at the general meeting in April shortly.  it is our hope that the process is transparent this year, members are informed, and you have a better grasp of the issues when you come to vote at the ratification meeting this summer.

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The other news is the Classification Study.  I will have Cheryl post the information supplied by Sapina Pele and Joan Matheson regarding its status.  

[Webmaster's note:  It is inserted right here] 
Classification Study:  What's Happening?
Written by Sapina Pele and Joan Matheson

As part of the 2004-09 contracts, Seattle Public Schools and SEA agreed to conduct a Classification Study for both Paraprofessionals and SAEOP employee groups.  This was the first major effort to review job descriptions undertaken in the district in many years. 

After much delay, in 2006 the District contracted with a consulting group, Educational Management Solutions (EMS), to conduct the classification study. 

The first step was to review all job descriptions for accuracy and completeness, focusing on essential functions.  Focus groups of both Paraprofessionals and SAEOP members developed drafts of job descriptions that were reviewed by members within that job title.   EMS also was to look at market data, and make recommendations regarding salaries.  All proposed changes to job descriptions, job titles, SP levels and salary schedules would be reviewed by SEA and negotiated prior to August 31, 2009, which is the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement. 

In the course of working with the recommendations from EMS we found we had too many questions that could not be answered as to what they based their recommendations.   As we did more investigating we came to believe that the EMS firm study was flawed.

SEA then contacted Doris Lyon, Research Analyst; and Donna Lurie, UniServ staff at Cascade Council/Shoreline Education Association, who is the one of people who developed the current Job Measurement System. SEA also contacted Elaine Williams, SPS Manager for Classification and Compensation in the Human Resources. SEA shared with her that we found the EMS report to be flawed in many ways and she agreed. The report recommendations stated that 2/3 of the job titles that we currently have should decrease grade and salary, yet we couldn't find any reasoning for their findings. EMS had done a market study and did not use our Job Measurement System to factor any of the jobs.  We weren't in agreement with their findings and could not move forward with recommendations that did not provide any basis for rationale, especially ones that were negative to SEA members.

So in consultation with Doris Lyon, Donna Lurie we decided that we needed to salvage parts of the study that we could, like new job descriptions, but  it was important to have more people from the district and SEA members trained to understand the Job Measurement System since we use it for all the reclassifications.  We also wanted to run all job descriptions through the Job Measurement point factor system to see how each job title rated in the 7 areas on the SP salary schedule system. 

The first step was a joint SEA and SPS training on March 5^th with Doris Lyons, Donna Lurie, SEA and Elaine Williams to Paraprofessional and SAEOP members and management staff. Training explained how the system works and why it's needed. Examples of job descriptions were used to give everyone in attendance the opportunity to use the system and ask questions about the process. We hope some of those trained will be able to participate as members of the SAEOP/Parapro Appeals Panel when there are classification appeals.
Our next steps that we discussed at the March 5^th training include: 

1. Elaine Williams, Sapina Pele and Joan Matheson would point factor all Paraprofessional and SAEOP job descriptions by May 19, 2009, starting with Bilingual Assistant and Sr. Payroll Specialist.  Any point factoring the three were not able to agree upon would be reviewed by the classification Appeals Panel. 

2. Paraprofessional and SAEOP members, if they disagree with an outcome, would  have the right to appeal the classification decision following the formal appeal procedure.

3. A joint article would be distributed to all Paraprofessional and SAEOP members with next steps and shortcomings of the original study. 

4. Timeline for completion was that recommendations would be ready for bargaining and the date agreed to was May 19th. 

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It is my understanding that the final deadline for all jobs to be reviewed and factored is May 19th; with information sent to the members approximately a week or so later.  In this article they explain why the process took longer than anticipated, why the Management Study originally bargained was tossed, and why the project went back to a point-factoring system.  All of the jobs are supposed to be completed and some SAEOP members will be upgraded.  At this time I do not know the job titles, numbers, or who.  If you disagree with the results, there will also to be a process for appealing.  As information becomes available, it will be communicated via the website.

Although these can prove to be difficult times, I also know that all of you out there are making a difference in your place of work and with the families you serve.  Please know that myself and your SAEOP leadership are just an email away should you have any questions.  I look forward to seeing many of you soon at our dinner.

Warmly,

Debbie Passi, SAEOP President

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