REA Negotiations Update: May 20-21, 2012

The District and Association met at 1 pm on Sunday, May 20 continuing for 21 hours about 10 am to Monday, May 21. The cost of the final offers will be posted when available.

The Association made four proposals and the District made three proposals. The final proposal by the District included a compromise position in language and salary and benefits:

• Article 3: Miscellaneous - District agrees to return to current language. Preserves continuance clause for the Association - contract terms are evergreen and do not expire when the contract expires.
• Article 5: Employee Rights - District proposed additional language to address REA concerns about: safety and discrimination; holding teachers accountable based on state tests; and the District's responsibility to provide training on new materials and provisions that a teacher can not be held accountable if materials and training are not provided to the teacher by the District.
• Article  9: Teaching Hours - District agrees to provide time for teachers to attend to personal/health needs at least once every four hours; retains the current preparation time during the school day requirements for elementary and secondary teachers and adopts Association language; maintains a 30 minute per week paid time for member wellness activity.
• Article 14: Paid Leaves of Absence - District agrees to Association proposal to allow use of emergency leave for family emergencies that cannot be handled outside of the workday.
• Article 22: Employee Compensation - District offered the association compensation in the sum of $3,837,274 to allocate in pay or benefit increases over the three school years 2011-2014. The District asked the Association to package the funds available to best meet the Association's membership. The total funds available need to include the costs of the step increase given in 2011-12 to assure that the District can remain solvent, preserve a full school year and programs for students and maintain jobs. The cost of a proposed 2% 2013-14 Cost of Living Increase if state revenue increases was not included in the $3.8 million compensation - as the increased revenues would cover the costs associated with the COLA if the revenue amount is realized.  Re-openers if revenue declines were removed on May 8 in response to the Association's feedback.  The Board continues to offer the Association a guaranteed raise if the revenue increases as a good-faith effort to express that more money would be shared with the Association.
• Article 23: Fringe Benefits- The District proposes that the Association allocate the entire resources available for salary and benefit increases = $3,837,274 for the 2011-14 school years.
• Article 24 Funding- District proposes a compromise to return to current language.

The Association's final offer was a two-year deal that would cost approximately $3.6 million for 2011-13 and an additional  $4.19 million in 2013-14. This offer has been characterized as one that meets the under $4 million request of the board; however, the Board asked for a proposal covering a three-year contract. The board continues to bargain in good faith, has not implemented any changes to the teacher's current contract and looks forward to mediation on Wednesday, May 23, scheduled from 9 am to 5pm at the New Beginnings Church, which is located at 3300 NE 172nd Place in Portland, OR 97230.