Magistrate recommends District make changes to health proposal,
Aronowitz says changes “don’t go far enough”

The Special Magistrate found M-DCPS’ health insurance costs would cause teachers to “face financial asphyxiation” and recommended the District implement changes to their proposal in his decision issued on Monday.   

Mark I. Lurie noted the District’s offer, which requires teachers to pay for a portion of their health insurance, would cause teachers in their first ten years of service (First Decade Teachers) undue hardships and a loss of salary based on negotiated raises versus insurance costs.  

 The magistrate’s recommendation includes: 

-    "First Decade Teachers" receive flex dollars eliminated under the School Board's plan;

-    "First Decade Teachers" do not pay the 13.1 percent increase for dependent care coverage;

-    Other provisions of proposal Scenario 8 remain in place, including the increased employee cost for the POS plan held by the majority of the bargaining unit.

The magistrate also noted the “First Decade Teachers” had the least investment in seniority and would be compelled to seek employment elsewhere.  “The risk that the District runs from depriving the First Decade Teachers of financial oxygen is that some will succumb,” Lurie writes in his decision.

United Teachers of Dade President Karen Aronowitz was pleased that the magistrate recognized how poorly teachers were paid but felt his recommended changes fell short. 

“Those that remain cannot be shortchanged because they chose to remain in the profession,” Aronowitz said.  “We will never pit teacher against teacher in a plan that does not protect everyone.”

The magistrate’s recommendation now goes before the School Board for a vote.  Aronowitz urges the board members to find the money for health insurance for 2008. 

“Our teachers and our Education Support Professionals must be this district’s top priority.  Unless teachers are in place, all the programs in the world will not educate our students,” Aronowitz said. “It takes teachers, and it takes this district making our teachers able to stay in Miami-Dade County.”

The School Board’s next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 16 at 1:00 p.m.