I assumed the budget cuts to the Library would stop at the Teacher Librarians being wiped out (High School District Fires All Librarians), but then all the Library Technicians got letters from the district saying our jobs "might" be affected. Next thing you know, we all received yet ANOTHER letter giving us official notice that we're all being cut to 10 months. I am currently an 11-month employee, so I will be losing an ENTIRE MONTH of pay. Obviously this sucks Melvil Dewey's rotting balls.
The letter itself is insulting because of wording like this:
"Because of budgetary restraints and workload changes..."
-I have noticed no workload changes, at least not a DECREASE in work load. I still have a lot of stuff to do all the time, and the library gets used more than ever. Since I've been working in that library, we have INCREASED our circulation to about TEN TIMES what it was before. I'm not exaggerating.
"...classified employees subject to layoff for lack of funds or lack of work..."
-Lack of funds OR lack of work?! They couldn't say it's DEFINITELY because of lack of funds, they had to leave it open-ended so it sounds like maybe we were just sitting around with our thumbs up our butts, with nothin' to do?
"Education Code... allows an employee to take a voluntary reduction in lieu of a layoff. You may elect to accept employment with a decrease in months..."
-I love this. It's so KIND of them to ALLOW me to take a "voluntary" reduction. Apparently they aren't allowed to change your work hours without your consent, you have to be presented with an option. So our option is either accept the reduction in hours, or be laid off. The situation sucks all the way around, like a poop cake frosted with barf. (Sorry.)
Of course we're all checking the box that says we accept the reduction, and signing it, because what else are we gonna do? I understand that cuts have to be made because things are financially grim, but they're already planning to re-instate some of the after-school sports programs they were pretending to cut, and I'm sure there are other areas that could be trimmed-- areas less vital to education than a fully-functioning school library.
The letter itself is insulting because of wording like this:
"Because of budgetary restraints and workload changes..."
-I have noticed no workload changes, at least not a DECREASE in work load. I still have a lot of stuff to do all the time, and the library gets used more than ever. Since I've been working in that library, we have INCREASED our circulation to about TEN TIMES what it was before. I'm not exaggerating.
"...classified employees subject to layoff for lack of funds or lack of work..."
-Lack of funds OR lack of work?! They couldn't say it's DEFINITELY because of lack of funds, they had to leave it open-ended so it sounds like maybe we were just sitting around with our thumbs up our butts, with nothin' to do?
"Education Code... allows an employee to take a voluntary reduction in lieu of a layoff. You may elect to accept employment with a decrease in months..."
-I love this. It's so KIND of them to ALLOW me to take a "voluntary" reduction. Apparently they aren't allowed to change your work hours without your consent, you have to be presented with an option. So our option is either accept the reduction in hours, or be laid off. The situation sucks all the way around, like a poop cake frosted with barf. (Sorry.)
Of course we're all checking the box that says we accept the reduction, and signing it, because what else are we gonna do? I understand that cuts have to be made because things are financially grim, but they're already planning to re-instate some of the after-school sports programs they were pretending to cut, and I'm sure there are other areas that could be trimmed-- areas less vital to education than a fully-functioning school library.