LOYAL TEACHERS, SCHOOL BOARD AT IMPASSE
Tuesday, December 7th, 2010 -- 2:41 PM
Teachers in Loyal could be headed toward arbitration with their school board. If the they go, it's believed it would be the first case in the state to test Wisconsin's new arbitration rules.Superintendent Graeme Williams says the two sides are still trying to hammer out details of the teachers? union contract retroactive to July of 2009.
Williams can?t talk about the specifics of the negotiations, but says wages and benefits are the main sticking points.
"Our health insurance has gone up a lot the last couple of years. That's impacted what we can offer on total benefits and salaries," Williams says.
In fact, health insurance costs have shot up 33% in the past two years. Teachers currently pay 6% of the premium for a family plan, singles pay between 0% to 5%, depending on their tenure, according to Williams.
The contract impasse comes at a time when the school is dealing with massive projected deficits. They?ll likely have make some big retroactive payments when the contracts are settled.
The two sides have met six or seven times, dating back to before July 2009. They've already had a third-party mediator step in. Williams says neither side wants to go to arbitration, but they may have to.
"That would either be the board's decision, or the teachers. We're getting close, but there are just a couple things we have to work on yet. If we don't get something settled before Christmas, something may happen then, I don't know," he adds.
Loyal has around 45 professional staff represented by the local teachers? union.
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