REA Bargaining Session Update: November 27, 2017

The thirteenth and final bargaining session between Reynolds Education Association (REA) and Reynolds School District (RSD) was held on November 27, 2017 at the Oregon Education Association office in Gresham from 11:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. Proposals were exchanged as follows:

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

Article 7 – Employee Work Year

• Accepted the District’s language regarding 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 half (1/2) day shall be converted from staff development to conference preparation.
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 lead 1 late start per month in accordance with the developed building plan 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 to 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.  However, for those unit members who were at the top step of a column during the 2016-17 school year or who were hired at the top step for the 2017-18 school year shall receive a 1% stipend based on their annual salary.
• The 2017-18 salary schedule shall increase by two percent (2%) for 2018-19.
• The 2018-19 salary schedule shall increase by two and a half percent (2.5%) for 2019-20.
• REA proposes that unit members doing summer curriculum work be paid their hourly rate rather than A-) Base pay.
• REA agrees that if classes do not rise to graduate level, the District/HR Director has the authority to disallow coursework from counting toward column movement but did not adopt the district’s 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 and the District agree in proposals to develop parameters for hours of credit for CTE certifications/coursework/experience.
• REA adopted the District’s 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”..
• REA continues to propose the 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 continues to propose 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 adopts the District’s last proposal for the 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
  • 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 2017-18 and 2018-19 and be reduced to 25% for 2019-20.
• 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.
• REA proposes that effective October 1, 2018 the District shall provide at no cost to the unit member short-term disability insurance and long-term disability insurance.  The insurance carriers shall be selected by the RSD/REA Insurance Committee.
• The Insurance Committee will continue to meet at least quarterly for the duration of this agreement.

The teams then caucused from 12:00 to 2:30.

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.
• Early Release/Late Arrival – The District continued to counter propose that 1 late start per quarter would be unit member 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. And in months where there are five late start Mondays, the 5th Monday shall be unit member directed.

(To date, the District has not been agreeable to 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 percent (1.0%) for 2018-19.
• And, the 2018-19 salary schedule shall increase by one percent (1.0%) for 2019-20.
• The District continued to propose 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.
• Both parties now agree to the 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 2017-18 and 2018-19 with an increase to $1325 per month for 2019-20 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 counter proposed 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 2017-18 and 2018-19 and be reduced to 25% for 2019-20.
• 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.
• The District proposed that effective October 1, 2019 the District shall provide, at no cost to the unit member, short-term disability insurance and long-term disability insurance.
• Both parties agree the Insurance Committee should continue to meet at least quarterly for the duration of this agreement.

The teams then caucused from 2:45 p.m. to 5:10 p.m.

REA 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

• REA accepted the counter proposal as outlined above.

Article 22 – Employee Compensation

• REA proposed that the 2017-18 salary schedule remain the same as the 2016-17 salary schedule and the five furlough days.  However, for those unit members who were at the top step of a column during the 2016-17 school year or who were hired at the top step for the 2017-18 school year shall receive a 1% stipend based on their annual salary.
• The 2017-18 salary schedule shall increase by one percent (1.0%) for 2018-19.
• The 2018-19 salary schedule shall increase by one percent (1.0%) for 2019-20.
• REA also proposed some trigger language, “If the State School Fund for the 2019-2021 biennium is at least $8.4 billion, then the 2018-19 base salary schedule shall increase by an additional 1.0% for a total increase of 2.0% over the final 2017-18 base salary schedule.  For each additional $200 million in state funding above $84 billion, the 2017-18 base salary schedule shall increase by an additional 1%.
• REA proposed returning to current contract language regarding summer curriculum work.
• REA adopted the District’s language regarding preapproval for coursework to count toward column movement.
• REA proposed a return to current contract language when unit members cover another class or take students from another unit member’s class, they will receive additional pay equal to the sub rate for this work.
• REA and the District agree in proposals to develop parameters for hours of credit for CTE certifications/coursework/experience.
• REA and the District agree to 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”.
  • REA proposed current contract language for the Extra Duty schedule but indicated it would like to have continued discussion regarding curriculum development, summer school, and evening school work being paid at regular hourly rates.
• REA withdrew its proposal regarding 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 $1325 per month for 2018-19, and increases the monthly cap to $1350 for 2019-20 and adopts the District’s last proposal for the 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
  • 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 2017-18 and 2018-19 and be reduced to 25% for 2019-20.
• 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.
• REA changes its proposal regarding short and long term disability insurances to indicate that effective October 1, 2019, the District shall facilitate the mandatory purchase of short-term disability insurance and long-term disability insurance for each unit member through a payroll deduction each month equal to 1/12th of each unit member’s annual premium costs.  REA also added language indicating that prior to the 2019-20 school year, the District and the Association, through the Insurance Committee shall establish an MOU providing a wellness stipend to each unit member by the December 20, 2019 paycheck.
• The Insurance Committee will continue to meet at least quarterly for the duration of this agreement and REA proposed language that a primary function of the committee shall be to select insurance carriers and policies for all insurance programs.

The teams then caucused from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. during which time two small group sidebar discussions were held.

The District then presented a final package counter proposal including Articles 7 – Employee Work Year, Article 22 – Employee Compensation, and Article 23 – Fringe Benefits containing three main difference from its prior proposal as follows:

Article 22 – Compensation

• The District counter proposed that the 2017-18 salary schedule remain the same as the 2016-17 salary schedule and the five furlough days.  However, for those unit members who were at the top step of a column during the 2016-17 school year or who were hired at the top step for the 2017-18 school year shall receive a 1.5% stipend based on their annual salary.

Article 23 – Fringe Benefits

• The District counter proposed maintaining the $1300 per month district CAP for 2017-18; increases the cap to $1315 per month for 2018-19, and increases the monthly cap to $1330 for 2019-20.
• The District will facilitate the mandatory purchase of short and long term disability policies rather than providing them at no cost to the member.  There was discussion about the concern that the benefits would become taxable to members if the district paid for the premiums.  Prior to the 2019-2020 benefits open enrollment year, the parties will establish an MOU to ensure that unit members’ pay is increased to an amount equivalent to the out of pocket costs for short and long term disability insurance premiums paid.

The proposal was tentatively agreed to at 8:30 p.m.

The parties also tentatively agreed to Article 30 – Duration of Agreement with a three-year agreement.

Future Bargaining Calendar:

REA unit members will take a vote to ratify the tentative agreement on Thursday, December 14, 2017.

Provided the REA unit members vote to ratify, the tentative agreement will be taken to the Reynolds School Board for approval at its next regular business meeting on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at Fairview City Hall.

At this time negotiations are considered to be completed for this agreement.