State reaffirms decision in favor of Muncie Teachers Association
06/14/2017
A state board has reaffirmed a state investigator’s earlier finding that ruled in favor of Muncie teachers in their two-year dispute with Muncie schools over drastic pay cuts.
The Indiana Education Employment Relations Board (IEERB) heard an appeal Tuesday by Muncie Community Schools challenging the decision to choose the Muncie Teachers Association’s (MTA) last best offer (LBO) for the 2015 – 16 and 2016 – 17 school years.
MTA is a local affiliate of the Indiana State Teachers Association.
Muncie schools based the appeal on an argument that the IEERB fact finder’s decision failed to account for a $10.2 million expenditure paid by Muncie schools to its joint services account when deciding whether MTA’s LBO resulted in deficit financing.
Counsel for MTA argued that this dispute was not raised in the fact finding hearing and should not be considered by IEERB, and even if it was considered, the $10.2 million amount was simply a transfer of funds and not an expenditure.
Muncie schools also presented a new proposed collective bargaining agreement that it wanted IEERB to adopt to which MTA objected. Muncie schools encouraged IEERB to consult with the State Board of Accounts on the issue of an expenditure versus a transfer of funds.
A representative from the State Board of Accounts was present and stated that the $10.2 million amount was a fund transfer and not an expenditure. Thus, the fact finder was correct in not considering it as part of their deficit financing analysis.
IEERB members voted 5 – 0 to adopt the fact finder’s decision in whole.
“This was a good day for students, teachers and the citizens of Muncie,” said MTA attorney Eric Hylton. “IEERB recognized that the proposal from MTA puts Muncie schools on the road to financial recovery. Muncie Schools’ new proposal would have resulted in a 28 percent cut in teacher wages for the 2016 – 17 school year and massive increases in insurance costs. IEERB’s decision confirms the fact finder’s decision that MTA’s LBO will save Muncie Schools nearly $6 million over a two-year period.”