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New Hope:
Negotiations Begin
Today, negotiators for the Kaplan bargaining unit of the Guild sat down with Kaplan’s management and lawyers for our first collective bargaining session to negotiate terms of a contract. The meeting, originally set for November 1, was postponed because of Superstorm Sandy.
Bargaining unit teachers were represented by Emily Lessem, David Sedgwick (Midtown), Shana Dagenhart, Jon Blanchette (Empire State Building), L. Toby Kahn (East Village), Anthony Napoli (Guild Representative) and Richard Corenthal (Outside Counsel). The company was represented by Jay Kennedy (Vice President of Labor for Washington Post), Mary Kennett (VP of Human Resources), Jessica Margolin (Employment Counsel), Oliva Gautschi (Regional Vice President East) and Trish Dunn (Outside Counsel).
We presented them with a 25-page contract proposal developed over several months that took into consideration responses to our teacher surveys and concerns raised at membership meetings. After introductory statements from both sides expressing their desires to reach a deal that works for both the employees and the employer, the proposal was presented to the management negotiators. Napoli then reviewed the proposal in detail. Kennedy expressed his appreciation for such a detailed written proposal. He told the committee that the company would have a counter-proposal at the next meeting, scheduled for December 10.
In their closing remarks, management team members emphasized a desire to retain “flexibility” in the company’s daily operations. The Guild committee was pleased to hear this, as flexibility is of great importance to teachers as well.
Kennedy also expressed management’s concern that Kaplan remain competitive in the ESL market, claiming that the present business model works well for both the company and the teachers. Napoli reminded him that the teachers’ problems with their current compensation and benefits were the reason we are at the table. He also reminded management that Kaplan had already improved its pay scale since we voted to organize with the Guild in June, but that the nationwide increase in prep time pay to $12 an hour (from the $7.25 federal minimum wage) wasn’t offered to teachers in New York schools.
Even though Kaplan is obligated to bargain with the Guild before changing any terms or conditions of employment for New York teachers, the Guild could have approved the increase with a simple phone call from Kaplan. In fact, we still could.
The bargaining committee looks forward to the next session on December 10. We will keep you informed of all new developments as they occur.
The Guild Bargaining Committee
Emily Lessem, Unit Chair
Shana Dagenhart, First Vice Chair
L. Toby Kahn, Second Vice Chair
David Sedgwick, Treasurer
Jon Blanchette, Assistant Treasurer
