We hope you all are having a wonderful week. As we begin to wind down for the holidays, we have a few important updates regarding contract implementation.
Pay grids are now available on our website. As of this past Friday, December 9, you should see the general wage increases reflected in your paycheck. The back pay for 9/1/2021-11/17/22 will be issued in a separate check. BPS anticipates that to be issued no later than the paycheck date, January 20, 2023. Please visit this summary from BPS for more information. This Google Doc will continue to be updated when new information becomes available.
We are aware of several issues from last week already, including errors for Family Liaisons as a whole. We have been in touch with these groups and will continue to be in contact as we work with BPS to resolve these issues. It has been incredibly frustrating dealing with the many errors, delays and lack of response over the last few months, but we are hopeful that these issues will be resolved soon. If not, we will be taking further action. If you believe you have an error, please contact your Field Rep.
Our December membership meeting is tomorrow, December 14 at 4:30 p.m. It will be an in-person meeting. Superintendent Skipper will be joining us for the first 20 minutes of our meeting. Please see the full agenda. You do NOT need to register, though, as always, you should bring your BTU card for admittance. (We will have a problem-solving table for those who do not have their card, but you must bring a photo ID or BPS pay stub.) If you need childcare, please register here – spaces are limited and on a first come, first served basis.
Reminder: We will be hosting a COVID-19 and Flu Vaccine Clinic before and during the membership meeting between 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Pre-registration is encouraged using this link, but walk-ins are welcome. This event is also open to your family members, so please feel free to register others in your family. For Covid vaccines, it is helpful to bring your COVID-19 Vaccine Card or a photo of your card. First Dose, Second Dose and Booster shots for the COVID-19 Vaccine in addition to Flu Shots will be available. Participants will receive $25 Gift Cards for COVID-19 vaccines only, and gift cards are available while supplies last.
We’re happy to announce that we have reached an agreement with BPS to pay per diem subs a bonus of $250 for each 10 days worked. All members are encouraged to recruit new substitutes from among their school community (parents and caregivers included) and friends and neighbors. The application for substitutes can be found on BPS’ website. We are continuing to advocate for solutions to staffing shortages and welcome ideas you may have as well.
Don’t forget: Due to a number of considerations, we are postponing our annual holiday party until the New Year. However, this year we will be hosting a Kwanzaa celebration and it will be taking place next Monday, December 19. The Kwanzaa event is open to all. We will also still have our Annual Children’s Holiday Party for BTU members on Wednesday, December 28 – please note that due to limited capacity, registration has been closed.
Finally, MAJOR shoutout to those who participated in our labor to labor calls last week via the AFL-CIO and helped re-elect AFT-endorsed candidate Raphael Warnock to the Senate!