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Rogue River sides stay hopeful School negotiations to continue early next week By VICKI GUARINO ROGUE RIVER -- There's no settlement yet, but both sides in the dispute over teachers' contract with the district say they hope they are near a resolution. Board Chairman Dave Cunningham and teachers' representative Steve Straughn say they are working through the weekend to come up with terms for a three-year contract that both sides can accept. Another negotiating session is expected to be called early next week -- just one week before Rogue River's 80 teachers are set to walk off the job. "I'm hoping we can bring this thing home -- I'm hoping Monday," Cunningham said Friday. He denied reports that the board on Thursday agreed to all of the teachers' financial demands. "I'm the only one authorized to speak for the board and I'm not confirming or denying anything," Cunningham said. Instead, he referred to the most recent board salary offer: across the board raises of 1.6 percent this year, rising to 2 percent in the third year, plus more than 3 percent increases for teachers at certain levels of education and experience. The package nearly matches teachers' demands. Teachers want 2 percent raises in all three years. The board also has moved closer to teachers' demands for retirement and insurance benefits. "I'm going to try to clarify what it is we're talking about now," Cunningham said. "This seems to have evolved into a control issue." Called "maintenance of standards" within the contract, the control issue centers on the board's authority to change working conditions without teachers' approval. Straughn said past contracts have guaranteed certain working conditions -- scheduling, class load and similar matters. Teachers have refused to accept a contract if such conditions could be altered. Straughn said he has been working on a proposal that would allow the board to make some changes in working conditions as long as teachers are paid more. Board members have said they need greater control over working conditions so they can make changes if necessary to save money. In past years the district has suffered revenue declines. "It is crucial to the board," Cunningham said. "There's got to be some way we can make changes and still give teachers a voice." Despite the disagreements over contract terms, Cunningham and Straughn agree that talks have reached what Straughn called "an extremely critical point." Preparations for a March 3 strike -- and steps to keep schools open should a strike come -- will begin in earnest next week. A state mediator is scheduled to hold a session in Rogue River March 1, but Straughn worried that the effort might be too little, too late. "Everyone is going to be so angry by then they won't even be able to see one another," Straughn said. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA