This is a difficult time for employees who are receiving layoff notices. Letters were sent Friday, June 11 and began arriving in employees’ homes over the weekend. The district extends its concerns for the families who are affected.
The layoffs are a product of a gloomy financial picture for the district, and dwindling resources for the coming school year. The Fiscal Year 2011 budget was approved earlier this month after weeks of deliberations that included multiple opportunities for public and employee input.
Even before the budget process began, district administrators made it clear that escalating health care costs for current and retired employees were the single most critical fiscal issue for MPS. We have exchanged information with the district’s bargaining units regarding these costs, and we continue to talk.
Meantime, the district continues to tally the number of vacancies, retirements and voluntary layoffs, which will affect the final number of employees who will be without work next semester.
