REA Negotiations Update: May 10, 2012

Reynolds School District was notified that teachers have authorized a Reynolds Education Association strike starting on Monday, May 21, 2012 if we can not reach a settlement. The Board has not voted to implement any changes to the current contract. The contract expires upon the outset of a strike.

The District has carefully considered the elements of the offers. The Board has increased the financial package by $244,000 increasing the cost of total compensation to teachers by $3.3 million over the proposed three-year contract. The District is promising an additional 2% raise if the District achieves a defined state funding level. The District offer also returns to current language on:

  • Article 9: Teaching Hours which guarantees the current level of preparation time during the school day for all teachers;
  • Article 5J; Complaints, proposed returning to current contract language.
  • Article 3: Miscellaneous, called the continuance clause. This assures that terms of a contract continue beyond the expiration date.

The District compromised on these items because the Association said these were amongst the most important to their members.

Over the proposed 3-year contract, the District is offering teachers the following increases:

For 2011-12:

  • Step and column increases; and

For 2012-13:

  • Additional $50 per month to medical insurance, from $900 to $950 per month; and
  • 1% stipend for teachers who were at the top of the salary schedule in 2011-12; and
  • Column increases for teachers who earn them through continuing education; and

For 2013-14:

  • Additional $50 per month to medical insurance, from $950 to $1000 per month; and
  • 2% COLA increases for all teachers, IF the legislature appropriates $6.4 billion to K-12 education and the district receives half of the $5 Million or greater for the 2013-14 school year, verified by the District on or before May 31, 2014. The COLA increases would be paid retroactive to July 1, 2013 at the time that teachers receive their June-August 2014 paychecks.

The details of the District's offer are attached.

The Board has stipulated that they will return when the Association is ready to make an offer that costs $4 million or less. At this time, the District offer is at the maximum level the Board can afford without making substantial cuts to pay for raises. Under the terms of the District's latest offer, the ending fund balance would be $2 million at the conclusion of the 2013-14 school year. This is 2% of the yearly budget, below the OSBA recommended 5-8% ending fund balance.

To help the community prepare, the Superintendent announced that school would shut down for the first week of any strike, should one occur. The school board will schedule a meeting next week to approve a strike plan.

The Association has notified us that they are prepared to strike under the terms of their current contract. The Reynolds School Board has not voted to implement any changes to the current contract. The contract expires upon the outset of a strike. The Board continues to bargain to avoid a strike.