Teacher strike continues amidst ongoing negotiations

Published 9:22 am Friday, September 4, 2015

The teachers association’s bargaining team and the South Whidbey School District did not reach an agreement after two meetings on Thursday and Friday and the strike and negotiations will continue, a strike leader said Friday morning.

“Negotiations continue and we’re happy to keep talking,” said Rachel Kizer, a strike captain with the teachers association.

Teachers, parents and community supporters hit Maxwelton Road Thursday morning waving signs such as “Fair Contract Now” and “Respect & Fair Pay NOW!” It was in response to the latest collective bargaining agreement offered by district officials. The offer was overwhelmingly rejected and teachers voted to strike.

Along with protesting on Maxwelton Road, they also marched through downtown Langley. Kizer said 85 of the 90 teachers in the district participated.

The district has been bargaining with South Whidbey Education Association teachers since June. The latest offer was for a 1.5 percent salary increase, in addition to a 3 percent cost of living adjustment from the state. It was rejected at an association meeting Wednesday night and educators voted 97.4 percent in favor of a strike.

“We decided that we needed to stand up because we feel disrespected and undervalued,” Kizer said. “Teachers have been bearing the burden of the finances in the district for a long time, and the fund balance and the reserves in the district have continued to grow.”

District bargainers include Superintendent Jo Moccia and Assistant Superintendent Dan Poolman.

“We want teachers and kids together for the first day of school and we want a fair and equitable contract for teachers,” Moccia said. “The nature of negotiations is always about compromise. It’s going to take both sides coming to the table and coming to an agreement.”

Teachers’ disappointment stems from raises offered to colleagues in neighboring districts. Coupeville increased its teacher salary by 5 percent this year, which would allow for top tier teachers to make $76,674 and first-year educators $40,680.

According to a new release from the South Whidbey School District, a top tier teacher in South Whidbey would make $77,173 while a first-year would make $39,895.

Tom Sage, a middle school math teacher, said it was unfair and that he didn’t see a reason why South Whidbey couldn’t offer more.

“I don’t understand the unwillingness. It’s very discouraging, disappointing, and uninspiring,” Sage said.

“If Coupeville and all the other districts can manage, we should be able to manage it if they’re doing their jobs. If not, get rid of them and get someone who can,” he added.

Teachers in the Everett School District accepted a new contract Tuesday that will boost their salaries by nearly 8 percent in the next three years. The new deal solidifies Everett teachers as having the highest base salaries in Washington, according to The Daily Herald.

“I’m OK with not having to keep up with Everett, because they’re number one in the state, so I understand that,” said high school history teacher Mark Eager. “But when we can’t keep up with the school district up the island that has got a way better settlement, there’s disparity there.”

Kizer, a fourth-grade teacher, has been with the district for 31 years. Never has she seen a collective group of teachers from South Whidbey so unified in a cause.

“This is rare for us,” Kizer said. “For us to be willing not to go in says how strongly we feel. And it is strong.”

She said that teachers have steadily prepared for the school year since early August, which adds to the animosity.

“We’re putting in all this extra time and effort, just show us a little bit of respect,” said middle school physical education and health teacher Erik Jokinen. “I think that’s the rub for most teachers.”

“We have families and lives, too. You can’t be doing that,” he added.

The boiling point came when educators learned of the contract agreements around the state as compared to what South Whidbey’s school district settled on.

“I think it was when we found out what the other districts were getting, and when we found out how low our district started and how little they compromised upward, and how little time they spent in the actual negotiations,” Eager said.

Eager added that the district has done a good job of retaining money at the end of the year, which is added to the district’s fund balance reserves.

“However, if we keep building on our reserves, then there must be money available,” he said.

Moccia said the imbalance between the teachers’ views and the district’s views are differences of opinion as well as perspective.

“There’s a different perspective of how much of a fund balance the district should maintain,” Moccia said. “We have every intention of reaching an agreement that is fair and equitable with teachers.”

Classes are scheduled to begin on Sept. 8. Kizer said teachers are willing to continue the strike as long as needed.