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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 11, 2006 Rogue River strike looms Teachers may vote on board’s final offer; strike would start Wednesday By SANNE SPECHT Mail Tribune ROGUE RIVER — A last-ditch, state-mandated mediation session between teachers and district officials may have failed. After nearly seven hours of negotiation Monday, teachers union representatives announced they would tell the Rogue River School Board today whether the teachers’ total membership would vote on the board’s final settlement offer, district officials said. "We asked them (Monday) to take our final offer to their members for a vote," said School Board member Mike Kuntz. "They told us they would let us know." Either way, there will be no school on Wednesday, Kuntz said. "If the representatives allow the membership to vote, and they vote ‘yes,’ then Wednesday will be an in-service day for the teachers," said Kuntz. "If they vote ‘no,’ then it’s the first day of the strike." Advertisement The two sides are at an impasse over issues including cuts to school days, salary considerations, merit pay increases and other contract items. The board says it must have the right to cut school days to balance the district’s budget. The teachers say they will cut days, but only if the board can prove financial need to the teachers’ satisfaction. The teachers agreed to cut 10 teaching days two years ago and the board had a substantial budget at the end of the year. That is unacceptable, said high school teacher and spokesman Joe Burns. "We are not going to allow day cuts without a way to put days back in if they have the money," said Burns. Board members say the Legislature’s continual budget cuts combined with unfunded state and federal mandates and declining enrollment requires fiscal frugality. "Eighty percent of our costs are payroll," said Kuntz. The board’s last offer to the teachers includes memo of agreement which stipulated cutting up to six days of school each in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. It also agreed to meet with teachers’ representatives for up to 30 days. But the agreement did not give the teachers the right to rescind any cuts. "We have a duty to be able to cut days in we need to," said board member Trayce Geddes. "But we don’t want to cut any days. And in a perfect world, we wouldn’t." The board also proposed a 1 percent salary increase in the first year of the contract to all teachers, with step increases of 3.35 percent for both longevity and educational steps for eligible teachers. "That’s a 7.7 percent increase in the best case scenario," said Kuntz. In the second year of the contract, the board would offer the 1 percent salary increase with step increases taking effect midway through the school year. That would be 1.7 percent for each eligible step, said Superintendent Charles Hellman. In the second year of the contract, teachers who have topped out of the step increases would be offered a one-time stipend in the amount of two percent of their salary, Kuntz added. "The district is also offering a $55 increase in insurance payments per month per employee," Hellman said. The teachers will accept the six-day cuts, provided the district can prove its need to cut days by demonstrating a less-than-4-percent ending fund balance. "We’ll accept the six days, but it has to have accountability at the back end," said Burns. The union also seeks a 15 minute duty free recess for all elementary school teachers. The district has offered to increase elementary school prep time from 45 minutes to 50 minutes per day, while decreasing class time by one minute per class per day for teachers at the secondary levels. Burns said he would like the district to consider accepting the agreement as a three-year contract. "That way we won’t be back here negotiating again next year," said Burns. The district has received an additional $127,000 over its projected budget, said teachers’ union representative Susan Crumpton of the Oregon Education Association. There is $40,000 in saved insurance costs from employees who are not taking advantage of the district’s policies, Crumpton said. Board members are unwilling to put language in the contract that will tie their hands when it comes to balancing the budget. "We’re standing firm on language because if the (Oregon State) Legislature continues to underfund, we may have to cut days in the future,"said Kuntz. Burns said he and other teachers spent the afternoon packing their belongings and moving out of their classrooms. "I’m not optimistic, I’m realistic," said Burns. "And I’m ready." Board members say they can’t understand why the teachers would strike and lose teaching days and pay, rather than trusting the board to make responsible decisions. "We’re at a loss to understand this," Kuntz said. Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 or e-mail Rogue River strike looms ">[email protected] . The board’s final offer: A time-limited Memorandum of Agreement for 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. The agreement would allow for cuts of up to six days in each session. The board promises to meet with teachers’ representatives for up to 30 days, but does not allow the representatives to deny the cuts. The teachers have agreed to cuts of up to six days over the next two years, provided the board can show an ending fund balance of less than four percent for any year cuts are requested. The district is offering a one percent salary increase to all teachers for the first year with additional pay increases of 3.35 percent for both longevity and educational steps. The second year of the contract, the step increases would only kick in midway through the year. Teachers who have maxed out their step increase opportunities would be offered a one-time stipend of two percent of their salary. No response from the teachers regarding this matter. The district is offering a $55 increase in insurance payments per month per employee. Teachers accept. The district is offering to increase elementary school prep time from 45 minutes to 50 minutes per day while decreasing class time by one minute per day per class for teachers at the secondary level. The teachers are seeking a 15-minute duty free recess for all elementary school teachers. Teachers are asking that the contract is binding for three years, instead of two. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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