Talks continue for Moses Lake teachers contract

MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake Education Association is continuing to bargain with the school district for an agreeable contract, after unsuccessful negotiations Thursday and Friday.

Dozens of teachers rallied on Ivy Street prior to a Thursday school board meeting.

"I think there's still progress being made," Moses Lake Education Association co-President Michelle Kittrell said. "That they're going back to the table again is a good sign."

As to whether a teacher strike is possible, Kittrell said teachers would work until Aug. 31, when their current contract expires. School begins Aug. 29.

"Anything is possible after the 31st," she said.

Kittrell said teachers are not making any outrageous requests in the contract. Their calculations estimate the contract they seek would encompass 1.5 percent of the school district's budget for the 2007 to 2008 school year, she said.

Teachers rallied Thursday to show the school board they are serious about getting a new contract in place before the current contract expires, Kittrell said.

A sign in rallying teacher Steve Lindholm's hand stated, "Holiday pay for all school district employees."

Lindholm explained administrators receive at least nine days of holiday pay, support staff receive six to nine days of holiday pay, and teachers receive none.

"We are here to make sure the school board realizes that our issues on the table need to be resolved in a fair and equitable way," he said.

"We deserve a fair contract, and I'll come out every time we need to come out until we get one," said teacher Helen Adams.

Adams said her biggest priority in the contract is getting additional paid holidays.

The district is offering 7.5 days and the district has the ability to double it, she said.

She said employees work those days already, and they need to get paid for them.

"I love teaching here. I love my job. But I want to be compensated fairly for what I do," Adams added.

Occupational Therapist DeAnna Groff said getting a caseload limit is important to her. Currently, she can see up to 40 students in four days.

"It's too high," she said.

At the board meeting, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations Monte Redal presented the details of the district's proposed contract.

The only item agreed upon out of a list of 11 provisions was to increase the district's contribution to the insurance pool by $150,000 during the next two years, Redal said.

The district offered to reduce limits to class sizes by one student in kindergarten, first and second grade classrooms. Teachers would be paid $12 per day for each extra student at the elementary school level. Previously, they were paid $10 per extra student.

At the secondary level, teachers would be paid $3 per extra student instead of $2 for non physical-education classes.

Teachers in certain retirement plans could place $175 in their retirement fund used for medical purposes, if they do not choose to use their personal leave day.

"(Previously) if you didn't use it you lost it," Redal said.

Tuition reimbursement for further education would be increased to $500 per teacher instead of $300, with 33.3 percent of teachers eligible instead of a previous 20 percent.

Up to 20 teachers wishing to take their National Board Certification could be funded $500 and given two released days.

The district offered to convert 7.5 supplemental days to a stipend and increase the funding for the stipend. The total estimated cost for the provision is $400,000 during the next two years.

Other provisions were included in the district's proposed contract, including additional paid days for nurses and additional paid days for Lifeskills teachers.

The district's estimated cost for the items in the contract is $938,000.

Redal noted teachers are getting a 4.3 percent salary increase, as authorized by the state, and a 3.6 percent increase in insurance benefits.

"We want a good contract," Redal said. "I think we have that. I think we've offered some good things."

He said the contract needs to be fair, equitable and sustainable.

He believes the district has good class sizes. The two new elementary schools are going to address the issue, he said.