We Won't Be Shamed

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                  We are not a piggy bank for administration to break open when it suits them.
                                                               We are not a cost to be managed.
                                                         We are the foundation of this district.

                          HSE doesn’t need to hoard money — it needs to invest in people. 

                                  Every dollar sitting in reserves is a dollar not being used 

                                   to retain the educators and staff who make HSE strong.

                      We’ve given, and given, and given again. This time, we’re drawing the line.
                              We refuse to be guilted into surrendering what we’ve earned.
                                                            We refuse to let them divide us.
                  And we refuse to let anyone call us “spoiled” for standing up for ourselves.

                                                              Because we know our worth.
                                                And we’re done apologizing for demanding it.

Recently, one nearby district agreed to a temporary 1% reduction in base pay for six months of this contract year. So, HSE administration is trying to portray our members as unreasonable or ungrateful for refusing to give up hard-earned benefits — benefits we fought for over many years to ensure that those who dedicate their careers to HSE can retire with dignity. We refused to give up part of our retirement-- to take money out of our own futures — so that the district could add more to its cash reserves.

During negotiations, administration proposed that we reduce our retirement contributions to offset rising insurance premiums — effectively asking 100% of our employees to sacrifice their future retirement security so that 80% wouldn’t see a pay cut. 

They also suggested eliminating our HSA contributions for the same purpose. At that point, we had to ask: what’s the point of offering a “benefit” if we’re constantly asked to give it up to patch over other budget problems?

Administration has stated there will be no salary increases this year, and that the school board is unanimously against raises. No new money for salaries was ever put on the table.

Still, HSEA took several questions directly to our bargaining unit members:

                              Would you support reducing our retirement contribution to redirect that money toward    

                              salaries or insurance premiums?

                                                                       → The overwhelming response: No.

                              Would you support giving up the HSA contribution to help with insurance costs?
                                                                      → The most common response: “What would that really solve?”

We could have played their game — robbing Peter to pay Paul — but we refused. Because we know the truth: HSE has the money. The district’s cash reserves are strong. They just don’t want to spend it on the people who make this district successful — the teachers, support staff, and professionals who show up every day for kids.