October 13, 2005

By Diane Chiddister

The most recent attempt to reach agreement on a new contract for Yellow Springs teachers failed this week, when the teachers union rejected two proposals offered by the Board of Education.

“We want a contract that gives us the ability to take care of our families, and we want the district to stay financially viable,” said Shawn Jackson, president of the Yellow Springs Education Association, the teachers union. “The teachers are very interested in negotiating a fair and equitable contract.”

Teachers rejected the latest proposals from the board during a meeting Tuesday. Out of the union’s 52 members, 41 attended the meeting, Jackson said, and “a significant number voted to reject the proposal.”

The offer came out of a meeting on Oct. 7 between Jackson and other union representatives, Superintendent Tony Armocida and Treasurer Joy Kitzmiller, according to Jackson. In a statement, school board president Rich Bullock said the parties sought to “explore possible ways to satisfy the educational union’s desires and also to meet the board’s parameters of a two-year contract and at the end of five years, a surplus of $100,000.”

The meeting produced two proposals, which the board approved during a special meeting Monday and presented to the teachers Tuesday, Bullock said.

The union instructed Jackson to take a counterproposal back to the board, and to bring a federal mediator back into the process, he said.

According to the teachers’ union, the school district is in an exceptionally healthy position, with a surplus of $3.8 million.

However, due to potential cuts in state funding and rising costs for fuel and health care, the school board has chosen to take a conservative stance to maintain what it perceives as future financial health, Bullock has said.

Last month the school board offered teachers a two-year contract with 1.5 percent annual raises in base pay and a 1.5 percent annual cash payment.

Jackson has said the teachers are seeking a pay raise that “keeps pace” with inflation.

Teachers are feeling frustrated by the contract standoff, Jackson said. “They are very concerned,” he said. “Some are very upset that it’s come to this point. Teachers don’t want to worry about contracts. They want to be in the classroom with their students.”

In his statement, Bullock said, “Although we are disappointed that the YSEA did not approve the proposal, we are pleased that the YSEA and administrators were able to work collaboratively to find common ground...We hope that this new way of negotiating sets a new standard for future negotiations and look forward to continuing to work together with the YSEA to craft an agreement that we all found acceptable.”

Contact: dchiddister@ysnews.com