MontCo School Employees Dodge Furloughs

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Employees of Montgomery County’s Public Schools (MCPS) can breathe easy after last Wednesday’s announcement that an agreement has been made with the County Executive and County Council to avoid furloughs in the 2010-11 school year budget. "As difficult as this budget crisis is, it appears that we have been able to prevent the furloughing of MCPS employees,” read a joint statement composed by the Montgomery County Education Association, Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals, and SEIU Local 500. “The agreement reduces the MCPS budget by an additional $24.4 million beyond that proposed by the County Executive - which will include $19.7 million from the operating budget and $4.7 million from the capital Budget, which funds construction and technology. We are confident that the additional cut can be absorbed without resorting to furloughs.” Merle Cuttitta - Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO Executive Board member and President of SEIU Local 500 – told Union City, “The Board of Education, the Superintendent and Administration leadership and the leadership of the three Montgomery County Employee Unions worked together to find a resolution without furloughs. We were united for the students and employees of Montgomery County Public Schools and all leaders led and the membership stood in solidarity together.” The County Government and the Board of Education will attend a State Board of Education hearing May 27 to request a waiver from the state maintenance of effort requirement so that “MCPS doesn’t lose the $51 million in increased state aid that we are counting on.” The State Board is expected to issue its decision in June. - photo courtesy MCPS