Updated on August 1, 2021
DISTRICT POSTS THE REVISED COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY MANUAL PUTTING STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES AT RISK
OCPS posted the "new version" of the OCPS COVID-19 Health and Safety Manual before the scheduled CTA bargaining session and before the August 2, 2021 date it was scheduled to be posted. Here is the link to their site:
Even as Orange County and Florida have broken records in the number of cases and hospitalizations this week, OCPS drastically reduced the health and safety protocols. The proposed revisions to the manual violate the OCCTA contract language which, among other things, requires the District to maintain safe and healthful working conditions. By instituting the changes, you will be ignoring the recommendations of health experts, undermining the threat of the virus, violating our contract, and putting employees and students at serious risk.
The District falsely claimed that changes were made because the School Board adopted a new mask policy. District leaders need to explain how disinfecting and sanitizing, social distancing, holding virtual meetings, limiting visitors, clinic procedures and other preventative language that was callously removed is related to masks! The CDC-recommends universal masking and layers of protections!
How autocratic and unethical is OCPS?
The District is supposed to send the CTA President all emails sent to every member of the bargaining unit through OCPS email on the day they are sent. On Friday, the District sent the following "News You Can Use" to all employees:
However, the District failed to send the email to President Doromal. A member of the bargaining team forwarded it to her. She then sent the following email to the District:
The District held the committee meeting when one entire party of the joint committee could not attend. CTA notified Preusser that the members could not attend on that date/time. (The CTA CBLT team had bargaining prep at that time). Because this joint committee was rescheduled when OESPA could not attend CTA assumed the same courtesy would be afforded to them and believed the meeting was not being held.
Ah, but it gets nastier.
After President Doromal sent the above email, LeighAnn Blackmore finally sent her the notification that the message was sent to all members of the bargaining unit. Below is Blackmore's Email (See the time -6:22Pm, exactly one hour after Blackmore got President Doromal's email.)
The Joint Safety Committee has been used by the District as a check box to claim they met with the unions. Every meeting has been controlled by the District narrative and no suggestions or input from CTA has even been noted or considered. The District even decides when the meetings will be held, whether or not all parties can attend.
CTA would like the district to get to the table and get some real health and safety measures in place to protect every student and every employee.
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