Scott Swanson
Of The New Era
The Sweet Home School District and the Sweet Home teachers union have agreed to bring in a state mediator to try to reach resolutions on issues that the two sides have been unable to agree on over seven months of collective bargaining negotiations.
“We’re still making progress. We still respect each other’s opinion,” schools Supt. Larry Horton said of the negotiations on the contract for the Sweet Home Education Association members, which began last April 29. District teachers have been working without a contract since July 1, Horton said. The two sides have met nine times thus far.
He said the remaining un-resolved issues include discipline, reduction in force procedures, paid leaves, compensation, insurance and professional development.
Both Horton and Dan Swanson, president of the Sweet Home Education Association, both said that the economic downturn of the last few months has put a crimp in the district’s ability to increase teachers’ compensation.
On Nov. 19 Gov. Ted Kulongoski ordered state agencies, including the Department of Education, to cut the remainder of their 2007-2009 budgets by about 5 percent to make up for a $140 million General Fund deficit. That translates to about a $300,000 cut to Sweet Home School District’s revenue for the current school year, Horton said.
At a Dec. 1 meeting the district offered a prospective compensation package for the current school year including a $1,000 increase to each placement on the salary schedule, “step advancement” for eligible employees (averaging a 3.2 percent increase) and an $825-per-month district contribution towards health insurance this year.
The four-year contract would include a 2.5 percent salary increase and $850 per month in insurance contributions in 2009-2010, increases ranging from 2 to 3 percent (based on where a teacher is in the district pay scale) salary increases and $875 per month for insurance in 2010-2011, and 2.5 to 3.5 percent pay raises and $900 per month for insurance in 2011-2012.
“We feel like we have made a fair financial offer to the Association, especially in light of the recent economic downturn,” Horton said. “Our offer was specifically designed to meet the association’s stated goal of getting our teacher salaries in line with state averages. Our offer also exceeds the salary averages of the other districts right here in Linn County.”
Swanson said the pay-raise offer doesn’t really amount to much when it’s figured monthly.
“When you break it down into a per-month deal, after taxes are taken out, it’s about $60 a month,” he said, noting that figure doesn’t factor in inflation.
“We do not feel that is adequate,” Swanson said of the district offer. “We’ve done this in the past and it never seems to show up on take-home pay.”
Insurance is another issue, he said, as the district’s proposal represents a $25 increase in its contribution to teachers’ policy premiums, while “insurance goes up $80 to $110 per month each year.”
“I had a teacher figure it out and she told me she would be taking home less money under the proposal than she did last year. She’s been in the district many, many years. This is going to be pretty much the result for all the teachers.
“This is a big fence for teachers who work 20 or 30 years here and make less money.”
Swanson also said that the union has concerns about discipline of teachers and has asked that the wording “just cause” replace “due process” in their contract to govern situations where a instructors face dismissal over charges or allegations brought against them.
“We’re trying to have some language that makes sure that before disciplinary action is taken, that all of the bases have been covered, all of the things that need to be investigated are investigated and all findings are investigated in a timely manner before any actions are taken,” Swanson said.
Horton said the district is comfortable with the existing language in the contract.
“In the court of law ‘just cause’ has a particular definition that has to be followed,” he said. “The district feels it would like to continue following current language, which has worked pretty well.”
Another issue is professional development – financial assistance for teachers who go back to school for more education, some because they are required to earn a master’s degree.
Swanson noted that those classes, particularly at private universities, can cost
“thousands or tens of thousands,” often on top of loans the teacher is already paying off from his or her undergraduate education.
“Money has been put in a (professional development) fund, which we deeply appreciate, but each year the cost for tuition goes up and the fund has increased over the years,” he said. “But the district is proposing no increase this year.”
Horton said that the district views professional development as a “financial issue.”
“Every dollar spent on staff development is fewer dollars we can offer in wages,” he said.
“What we’re trying to do is find out from the teachers what’s most important to them, given that we cannot give them everything they’re asking for, given the current conditions.”
The two sides are set to meet again on Dec. 16 and 18.
Horton said he hopes a mediator will be available then, but since there are only three working in the state he’s not sure how long it will take to get help at the bargaining table.
He said part of the impetus in bringing in a mediator was that the teachers union representative was on strike through most of the month of October, so three scheduled meetings were cancelled since local teachers decided not to ask their rep to step over the picket line.
“We’re three meetings behind where we would be right now,” Horton said. “I think that’s unfortunate. That’s partly what has slowed the process down.”
Swanson said that asking for the mediator now makes it more likely one will be available if needed.
“We’ll continue to meet with the district,” he said. “We’re just being proactive in case we get stuck. If we do get stuck, it’s better to have already asked for mediation services rather than wait for six to eight weeks.”
Teachers, school district ask for mediator in contract talks