SPFE Member Email: March 25, 2024
When will I see the negotiated backpay and raise? We do not know the exact payroll date for when the increases will start. Payroll needs to do their work on the backend. There will also be the two week lag that will push that date out a little further. If we get any updates we will share in this weekly email.
Longevity: We have received a lot of questions about longevity. Longevity applies to years of experience in SPPS in any role, not just in your current position or union. We do not know how payroll will be processing this increase and will share updates in this weekly email when possible.
New Contract Enforcement Meetings: Now that our tentative agreements have been ratified by both the SPFE membership and SPPS School Board, the work begins on enforcing the new language that we bargained for and won. We will be holding 3 Contract Enforcement Meetings to outline and discuss how to enforce our new gains in the contract. If you are as steward, CAT or other interested SPFE member, please attend! RSVP here.
- Wednesday, March 27th from 4:30-6:00pm at SPFE: Overview of all new Language
- Thursday, March 28th from 4:30-6:00pm on Zoom: Article 15 for Licensed Staff and EAs
- This meeting will specifically cover changes to Articles 15 for both Licensed Staff and EAs. Article 15 is the article that governs the interview and select process and placement process.
- This meeting will be recorded
- Wednesday, April 3rd from 4:30-5:30 on Zoom: Overview of all new Language
- This meeting will be recorded
- This meeting will have the same information as the 3/27 meeting
Member Engagement post contract ratification– there is so much exciting work to dig into! If you want to stay involved in our union, now is the time to let us know what you’d like to do. Please fill out this form outlining which ways you’d like to be involved with our union as we implement some exciting changes.
ESP of the Year Nominations are now open! If you know an EA or SCSP in our union who deserves some recognition, be sure to complete this form to nominate them for our ESP of the Year. Deadline is April 5, 2024.
New Resolution Process for Members: Learn more here.
This Women’s History Month, we can do more than celebrate: We can learn from those who came before us and lead from their example. That’s why we’re excited to share this list of recommended books. We hope you’ll find the time to read one of these during the month of March.
Join Share My Lesson(AFT) live March 19-21 for the virtual conference event of the year. Register now to set your schedule for three days of 35+ free, for-credit sessions designed to support your work as preK-12 classroom teachers, aides, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel, specialized instructional support personnel, higher education faculty, and parents and caregivers.
NEA Educators Running(for office) Training: Have you ever thought about running for office? Think an educator might know more about issues than someone who has never set foot in a classroom? NEA wants you to consider and apply to run for office. Learn more here.
SPFE Scholarship application is now available for the graduating class of 2024. Applicant’s parent(s) or legal guardian must have maintained Local #28 union membership. prior to September 1, 2022 in order to qualify for this scholarship. Applications are due April 26, 2024. Please email Jeannie receptionist@spfe28.org for the application.
AFL-CIO Scholarships available: Go to this link to learn more. Open to all graduating high school seniors who are union members or the dependents of union members who are going to college or community college in MN.
Free Citizenship Clinic for Education Minnesota members! Education Minnesota is partnering with the Minnesota AFL-CIO to sponsor its first ever free citizenship clinic for Education Minnesota members on Saturday, May 4 at its Brooklyn Park office. Please see the attached flyer for details and sign-up information. In order to participate in the clinic, you will need to sign up and attend a virtual information session from 5-6 pm on either Monday, April 8 or Tuesday, April 23rd. You can sign up for that session here.