REA Bargaining Session Update: November 15, 2017

The twelfth bargaining session between Reynolds Education Association (REA) and Reynolds School District (RSD) was held on November 15, 2017 at the Oregon Education Association office in Gresham from 11:00 a.m. until 4:10 p.m. Proposals were exchanged as follows:

The District offered one counter proposal as follows:

Article 18 – Student Discipline

• An addition to the introductory language in A. that was proposed by REA at the last session was adopted in this proposal to indicate that the District and School Board will endeavor to implement the provisions of Board Policy JG (Student Discipline) with fidelity.
• The District adopted the new heading titled “C. Referral Procedures for Students Engaging in Physical Abuse or Intimidation” followed by added language requiring:
  • The completion of a written plan on the RSD Behavior Incident Report which will be filed at both the building and district level and reviewed by the Behavior Response Committee to monitor the need and use of resources.  The data will also be entered into Synergy or another database that “need to know” unit members can access.
  • The Behavior Incident Report form shall be reviewed by the unit member and the administrator.  Responses may include behavior contracts, student study team referral, involvement of appropriate community agencies, use of student break room or other activities.  Resulting plans shall include the specific areas of concern, a timeline for completion, and the responsibilities of all involved (student, unit member, administrator, and others).  Records shall be updated and monitored monthly and the Association shall have the right to review the updated records with the Director of HR or other designee of the Superintendent at the bi-monthly contract maintenance meetings and provide input on how to best allocate resources to serve the needs of all students.
  • Restorative Practices – Language to request that an MOU be crafted by March 1, 2018 related to the District’s incorporation of restorative practices into the school climate and district culture.

REA offered one package proposal including Articles 7 – Employee Work Year, Article 22 – Employee Compensation, and Article 23 – Fringe Benefits as follows:

Article 7 – Employee Work Year

• Continue to propose a Change to B. Distribution of Contract language as follows:

1. Pupil Instruction Days increases from 172 to 174
2. The addition of 1 conference prep day (K-12)
3. 4 staff development days remain the same and specifies that should the District schedules a second set of conferences, then one of these days shall be designated as a conference preparation day.
4. 1 midyear planning day remains the same
5. 1 fall pre-instructional work day remains the same
6. 1 summer post-instructional day remains the same
7. 4 pupil evaluation and/or course development days remains the same.

• Early Release/Late Arrival – REA counter proposed that unit members shall have 1 late start per month to direct collaborative activities, planning, or preparation of curriculum/lessons specifically tied to the staff development for application and implementation.  In months where there are five late start Mondays, the 5th Monday will be used for individual planning time.

(To date, the District has not been agreeable late start time being member directed as the School Board approved these days with the caveat that they would be directed by the District).

Both groups continue to agree this should be collaborative time used effectively.

Article 22 – Employee Compensation

• REA proposes that the 2017-18 salary schedule remain the same as the 2016-17 salary schedule and the five furlough days.
• The 2017-18 salary schedule shall increase by two and one half percent (2.5%) for 2018-19.
• The 2018-19 salary schedule shall increase by three percent (3.0%) for 2019-20.
• REA indicates that if classes do not rise to graduate level, the District/HR Director currently has authority to disallow coursework from counting toward column movement and therefore did not adopt the district’s prior proposed language.
• REA continues to propose that unit members who cover another class or take students from another unit member’s class should receive additional pay equal to their own hourly rate rather than the sub rate for this work.
• REA proposes that they work together with the District to develop parameters for hours of credit for CTE certifications/coursework/experience.
• REA did not adopt the District’s suggested language that extra duty positions be offered on a year-to-year basis, including head coach and lead advisor positions of OSAA sanctioned athletics and activities or language that unit members occupying extra duty positions may be evaluated as deemed necessary by the District rather than annually as is now required.
• REA proposes the following additions to the Extra Duty schedule:
  • Librarians -= 3% stipend
  • Curriculum development, summer school, and evening school – Unit members will be paid their hourly rate.
• REA proposes overage pay for unit members who are compelled to exceed the class size guidelines as cited in Article 27, Section A, are entitled to a 1% stipend based on their annual salary.

Article 23 – Fringe Benefits

• REA’s proposal maintains the $1300 per month district CAP for 2017-18; increases the cap to $1350 per month for 2018-19, and increases the monthly cap to $1400 for 2019-20 and proposes an increased contribution to the insurance pool per year as follows:
  • $250,000 effective October 1, 2017
  • $325,000 effective October 1, 2018
  • $400,000 effective October 1, 2019
  • REA proposes that unused portions of unit members’ insurance allocations allowed to be spent on supplemental insurance products remain at the current amount of one half for the duration of the contract.
• REA adopts the District’s proposal for unit members’ Term Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance to be increased from the current policy amount of $20,000 to $50,000 for 2018-19 and 2019-20.
• The Insurance Committee will continue to meet at least quarterly for the duration of this agreement.

The teams then caucused from 12:30 to 3:30 and upon return, REA presented one counter proposal which became a Tentative Agreement as follows:

Article 18 – Student Discipline

The counter proposal adopted all District language outlined in the proposal above and continued to maintain from REA’s prior proposal that the District Behavior Response Committee should meet monthly during the school year and provide quarterly reports to the School Board.  The District agreed to that counter.

The District then presented a package counter proposal including Articles 7 – Employee Work Year, Article 22 – Employee Compensation, and Article 23 – Fringe Benefits as follows:

Article 7 – Employee Work Year

• Agreed to REA’s proposed changes to B. Distribution of Contract language as outlined above except:

4 staff development days remain the same and specifies that should the District schedules a second set of conferences, then one half day shall be converted from staff development to conference preparation.

• Early Release/Late Arrival – The District counter proposed that 1 late start per quarter and in months where there are five late start Mondays, the 5th Monday shall be teacher-led in accordance with the developed building plan for staff development and/or training, application/implementation, collaboration, planning or collaborative preparation of curriculum/lessons specifically tied to the staff development. The District did not accept REA’s proposal that any of this time be used for individual planning time.

(To date, the District has not been agreeable late start time being member directed as the School Board approved these days with the caveat that they would be directed by the District).

Both groups continue to agree this should be collaborative time used effectively.

Article 22 – Employee Compensation

• The District agreed with REA’s proposal that the 2017-18 salary schedule remain the same as the 2016-17 salary schedule and the five furlough days.
• However, the District counter proposed that the 2017-18 salary schedule shall increase by one half percent (.5%) for 2018-19.
• And, the 2018-19 salary schedule shall increase by one percent (1.0%) for 2019-20.
• The District proposed that the contract language reflect that the District/HR Director currently has authority to disallow coursework from counting toward column movement by adding “pre-approved for salary movement” to the language in E. Hours for Movement.
• The District did not agree to REA’s proposal that unit members who cover another class or take students from another unit member’s class should receive additional pay equal to their own hourly rate rather than the sub rate for this work and instead kept current contract language that the sub rate will be paid.
• Both parties agree that they should work together to develop parameters for hours of credit for CTE certifications/coursework/experience.
• The District withdrew its proposal that extra duty positions be offered on a year-to-year basis, including head coach and lead advisor positions of OSAA sanctioned athletics and activities and instead added language that a non-probationary unit member who engages in serious misconduct, such as misconduct that impacts student safety, may be removed from his/her extra duty position without being placed “on notice”.
• The District did not agree to REA’s proposed additions to the Extra Duty schedule:
  • Librarians -= 3% stipend
  • Curriculum development, summer school, and evening school – Unit members will be paid their hourly rate.
• The District did not agree to REA’s proposed overage pay for unit members who are compelled to exceed the class size guidelines as cited in Article 27, Section A, are entitled to a 1% stipend based on their annual salary.

Article 23 – Fringe Benefits

• The District’s counter proposal continued to maintain the $1300 per month district CAP for the duration of the contract and continued to propose an increased contribution to the insurance pool per year as follows:
  • $250,000 effective October 1, 2017
  • $300,000 effective October 1, 2018
  • $350,000 effective October 1, 2019
  • The District continued to propose that unused portions of unit members’ insurance allocations allowed to be spent on supplemental insurance products be reduced from the current amount of one half for 2017-18 to 25% for 2018-19 and to 0% for 2019-20. (This proposed language was inadvertently left out of this proposal and the error was discussed at the bargaining table first thing at the 11/27/17 session to correct it).
• The District’s proposal continued to include unit members’ Term Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance to be increased from the current policy amount of $20,000 for 2017-18 to $50,000 for 2018-19 and 2019-20.
• Both parties agree the Insurance Committee should continue to meet at least quarterly for the duration of this agreement.

We ended the session at 4:10 p.m. after a brief caucus.

Next Bargaining Session:

Monday, November 27, 2017 beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the Oregon Education Association office in Gresham.  Both parties have agreed to stay as needed to try to reach a final tentative agreement on the remaining articles.

Future Bargaining Calendar:

No future sessions following November 27th are scheduled at this time.