The Geary USD 475 Board of Education met in executive session for almost 40 minutes Monday evening to discuss the teacher contract negotiations which are at impasse.  The end result, after the closed door session, the Board opted to continue with the process of the professional negotiations act, but took no other action.

What does that mean? BOE President Brian Field said they have two options. “One is we can go to fact finding or we remain with the current contract that we have. That’s the point that we’re at right now.”  As far as the Board decision to continue with the professional negotiations act, Field stated they will do one of two things. “Fact finding has to be requested. If it is not then we will continue as we are right now with the 2014-2015 negotiated contract.” Teachers currently work under that contract.

Either side in the negotiations can request fact finding. Essentially the BOE has left it up to the Junction City Education Association to make a decision on that issue. Superintendent Dr. Corbin Witt stated, “I think that a lot of different things can happen. I think right now the Board is waiting to see what the JCEA negotiatons wants to do after this.”

If no further action is taken the existing contract remains in effect. If fact finding is requested there will be a hearing. That would have to be followed by at least one required negotiating session. If no agreement is reached, the Board of Education could then issue a unilateral contract. Both sides agree that teachers would then have three options….continue working under the existing 2014-2015 contract, accept the unilateral contract authorized by the Board, or resign without penalty within 15 days of the date that the unilateral contract is issued.