Key facts in the Board of Education’s proposal in the teacher contract negotiations in USD 475 were outlined by the Board’s chief negotiator, KASB attorney David Shriver Monday evening at the Devin Center.
With contract talks at impasse, Shriver spoke to a packed meeting room with many teachers in attendance.
–The Board had sought an 8-hour work day, no flex-time which would result in a 10-minute extension of the work day.
–More elementary collaboration
–Meetings that start after student contact time, which meant a change to 15 minutes later
–Removal of SLP’s, social workers, and psychologists from the salary schedule.
–Accepted the JCEA’s salary schedule
–And it was clarified once again by District officials that the latest salary increase offered totals an average of 7.32% for returning teachers. Actual raises would range from a low of two-and-a-half percent to 20%. Other numbers released by officials earlier had put the average increase at 6.5% and then 7.23%.
The summary also outlined by Shriver also included points that 24-hour notice of meetings and duties would not be eliminated, and Principals would not be prevented from allowing teachers to occasionally flex their time.
Cathy Rankin, Junction City Education Association President, confirmed if the next step of fact finding is pursued, once that is complete there would be one required negotiating session. If that doesn’t work the Board of Education could issue a unilateral contract. The response by teachers could include three choices, said Rankin. “They can continue to work under the existing contract. They could accept the unilateral contract, or they can resign with no penalty within 15 days of the date that the unilateral contract is issued.”
For the most part the audience remained quiet during the presentation by David Shriver and followup discussion by the Board. But there was one round of applause by the teachers on the issue of an 8-hour day. Comments by Board member Tom Brungardt drew that reaction when he addressed that issue, noting 8-hour days and 40-hour weeks are “for people who push the clock, not for professionals.”