Reynolds Education Association Bargaining Session Update: October 21, 2014
REA Negotiations Update - October 21, 2014
We met from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the OEA office
REA presented a package proposal that included all remaining open articles:
Article 5 – Employee Rights, Article 9 – Teaching Hours, Article 18 – Student Discipline, Article 22 – Employee Compensation, Article 23 – Fringe Benefits, Article 25 – Reduction in Force, Article 26 – Student Services, Article 27 – Workload, and Article 31 – Duration of Agreement.
Article 5 – Employee Rights: Added Plan of Awareness language. Language regarding equal representation for REA and the District on the Teacher Evaluation Committee. Revised language regarding teaching materials in P.
Article 9 – Teaching Hours: Continue to propose limit to how many preparation periods a counselor can cover each week to five (5).
Article 18 – Student Discipline: Request responses to referrals within 48 hours; notification to bargaining unit members who work with students who pose a threat to safety of staff or students of information provided by law enforcement agencies; request defined safety plan or agreement finalized between student, parent or guardian, administrator, and bargaining unit member before students who have demonstrated a continued pattern of documented behavior that is seriously disrupting the instructional program by engaging in physical or verbal abuse, intimidation or interference with a bargaining unit member’s performance of his or her duties; copy of building discipline codes provided at first staff meeting of each school year; District’s policy on student discipline posted on District website and included in each building’s staff handbook.
Article 22 – Employee Compensation:
REA Current Proposal: Additional top step shall be added to each column on the schedule at the same percentage increase as between the current top step and the step directly preceding it. Members who were on the top step of a column during 2013-2014 or who were hired at the top step for 2014-2015 with more than the equivalent years of experience shall advance to the new top step. Effective July 1, 2014, base salary shall increase by 1.5%; July 1, 2015, base salary shall increase by 2.5%; July 1, 2016, base salary shall increase by 2.5%.
Bargaining Unit members supervising another member’s class for the day when a substitute is not available will receive the entire sub pay. If more than one member shares the duty, they will share the sub pay.
District Current Proposal: Effective July 1, 2014 an additional step shall be added to each column on the schedule at the same percentage increase as between the current top step and the step directly preceding it. Members who were on the top step of a column during 2013-2014 or who were hired at the top step for 2014-2015 with more than the equivalent years of experience shall advance to the new top step. Effective July 1, 2014, base salary shall increase by 1.5%.
Effective July 1, 2015, Step 0 for all columns on the salary schedule shall be removed from the salary schedule. BA Step 0 shall be retained for the sole purpose of calculating those amounts that rely upon it as per the contract. BA Step 0 shall be increased each year by the same percentage as the salary schedule. Effective July 1, 2015, base salary shall increase by 1.5%.
Effective July 1, 2016, base salary shall increase by 1.5%.
Article 23 - Fringe Benefits:
REA Current Proposal: The District shall contribute to each member, on a pro-rate basis, the following amount for the purchase of fringe benefits:
Effective October 1, 2014 increase from $1,100 to $1,200 per month
Effective October 1, 2015 increase from $1,200 to $1,300 per month
Effective October 1, 2016 increase from $1,300 to $1,400 per month
In addition, the District will make the following contributions to the insurance pool set forth in the current contract language
For 2014-15 the District shall contribute $100,000 to the insurance pool.
For 2015-16 the District shall contribute $150,000 to the insurance pool.
For 2016-17 the District shall contribute $200,000 to the insurance pool.
These additional pool dollars may only be used to supplement out of pocket expenses for medical, dental, and vision insurances.
Beginning 2016-17 members may only use of to one-half of the unused portion of their insurance allocation on supplemental insurance products, such as but not limited to, life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability plans.
Addition of a Health Savings Account.
District Current Proposal: The District’s contribution toward fringe benefits shall remain at the current rate of $1,100 per month for the life of the contract.
In addition, the District will make the following contributions to the insurance pool set forth in the current contract language
For 2014-15 the District shall contribute $100,000 to the insurance pool.
For 2015-16 the District shall contribute $150,000 to the insurance pool.
For 2016-17 the District shall contribute $200,000 to the insurance pool.
These additional pool dollars may only be used to supplement out of pocket expenses for medical, dental, and vision insurances.
Beginning 2015-16 members may only use of to one-half of the unused portion of their insurance allocation on supplemental insurance products, such as but not limited to, life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability plans.
Article 25 – Reduction in Force: Same language as last proposal.
Article 25 – Student Services and Special Education: Same proposal as last time.
Article 27 – Workload: New proposal includes new class size guidelines: K-3 (18-22 students); 4-6 (22-26 students); 7-12 (160 students total load). Includes the creation of an ELL Student Instruction and Services Structure Committee to foster a more collaborative approach to the delivery of instruction and services in the District.
Next Steps: No additional negotiation sessions have been scheduled at this time.
