OSEA Bargaining Session Update: July 17, 2018

The tenth bargaining session between Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA) and Reynolds School District (RSD) was held on July 17, 2018 in Transportation Building C from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

OSEA & District:  Rehana Nelson, District Bargaining Team, absent; Joel Garner and Cheryl Rickerd, OSEA Bargaining Team, absent; Superintendent Dr. Linda Florence replaced on the District bargaining team by new Superintendent Dr. Danna Diaz.

All open articles currently rest with OSEA to provide counter proposals back to the District

OSEA presented one package proposal that included the following articles:

Article 1 – Recognition (Already reached tentative agreement)

Article 2 – District Rights (proposing current contract language)

Article 11 – Work Time

Article 12 – Association Rights (Already reached tentative agreement)

Article 18 – Funding (proposing current contract language)

Continuation of the No Contracting Out MOU for the three-year term of this agreement.

The District pointed out that Article 1 – Recognition and Article 12 – Association Rights had already been tentatively agreed to at the June 20^th bargaining session.

Article 11 – Work Time – Remaining outstanding issues - OSEA continues to propose same new language proposed in prior sessions indicating that employees may request assistance from their supervisors in establishing or adjusting work priorities to carry out his or her work assignment and that the employee may request a written response from the supervisor.  OSEA also continues to propose new language which indicates, “other duties as assigned” shall be tasks that are not described in the job description and shall be defined as infrequent and at irregular intervals.  OSEA has dropped the sentence “Other duties as assigned” is not intended to describe routine tasks,” from this proposal.

No Contracting Out Bargaining Unit Work Memorandum of Agreement

OSEA proposes that the MOU that was in place for 2017-2018 remain in place for the three years of the proposed contract (2018 – 2021).

Memorandum of Understanding regarding DACA and TPS Employees (presented separately)

OSEA presents new version of the previously proposed DACA Affected Employees MOU with two changes:  the first change is to (3) now applying a limit to the amount of money the District would provide to affected employees for legal consultation at $125.  The prior proposal had no dollar limit.  The second change is to (4) now authorizing leave without pay rather than the prior proposal of 15 paid working days to attend to immigration or citizenship status matters.  The remainder of the MOU remains the same as the prior proposal presented on March 15^th.

OSEA requested a brief caucus from 4:40 to 4:55 to check in before moving to their salary presentation.

Upon return, OSEA presented a handout, “OSEA Salary Schedule Review” showing the columns and steps and pointing out that for some of the steps the rates would go down over the course of the contract.

The District explained that compression will happen due to the desire from both groups to smooth the salary schedule so that the percentages are the same between all steps.  The district is proposing that the schedule be smoothed at 4% between steps over the course of the three years of the contract, a few steps at a time due to cost rather than doing this all at once in one year.  Because some steps currently have more than 4% between them, some steps will show a decrease year over year but employees would receive a step increase for the following year so no existing employee would be negatively impacted by those decreases.

A discussion was also had to review some concerns about the District’s proposal to move to automated timekeeping.  A handout of the questions was provided for review, “OSEA Concerns to District’s June 20, 2018 Proposal on Article 8 – Salary, N. Automated Timekeeping” and discussion regarding the concerns ensued.  Formal responses to the questions will be provided at the next bargaining session.

Tentative Agreements Reached:

No tentative agreements were reached at this negotiations session.

An agenda was not set for the next session. At this time, the remaining open articles are as follows:

The teams caucused at 5:35 p.m. and at 6:00 p.m. the District reported back to the OSEA team that it would not have counter proposals on the articles presented this evening until the next session. Concluded at 5:35 p.m.

Upcoming Bargaining Dates Scheduled as follows:

Woodland Elementary School Library:

      August 27th - 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.