by Jim Boyle
Editor
The Elk River Area School District reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the Elk River Education Association (EREA), the district’s largest labor group.
The two sides met for more than seven hours on Tuesday night to reach a deal during their 17th negotiation session. The tentative pact calls for a 6% increase to the salary schedule in Year 1 of the contract, and a 3% increase in Year 2 of the contract.
Many other agreements were hammered out, which the Star News will report on in a future edition of the Star News.
Education Minnesota, the state’s teachers union, reports the average settlements so far have been 4.32% in the first year of contract and 3.45% the second year.
“This agreement marks an important milestone for our district and reflects our commitment to fostering positive relationships with our valued teachers,” Superintendent Dan Bittman said.
The tentative contract agreement will now be submitted to the teachers union for teacher members to consider ratification sometime in April. Following this, it will require approval by the Elk River Area School Board at its regular business meeting on April 22.
The EREA had proposed a settlement offer last month that would have amounted to 15.779% increase, or $17 million increase, to the contract over a two-year period.
The district countered that it was not sustainable and would require significant reductions of staff, negatively impacting student learning and safety. District 728’s team came forward with a proposal on March 5 for a total increase of 10.65%, or $11.3 million, over the full term of the contract.
The EREA came back with a less costly proposal that would have cost an additional 13.45% or $14.3 million on March 5.
Through a series of compromises and other previously reached agreements, the two sides came to a settlement agreement late on Tuesday, March 12.
“We have worked collaboratively and transparently, guided by principles of honesty and integrity outlined in our negotiation framework. Our aim has been to reach an agreement that respects our budget constraints while demonstrating support and appreciation for the hard work of all our staff members across the district, especially during these challenging times,” Bittman said.
The night before the final negotiations session, about 450 members of the EREA filled the sidewalks outside of the District 728 Offices on the night of the March 11 School Board meeting to express their desire for a “fair settlement.”
They knew the two sides had two more meetings planned before a date with the Bureau of Mediation Services was set for March 21.
Throughout the negotiation process, both ISD 728 and EREA have remained dedicated to open and constructive dialogue. EREA president Lisa Olson on Monday night called 17 negotiation sessions “friendly.”
She said on Wednesday the early feedback from teachers has been positive, noting for some the pay increases will be the biggest of their careers.
“And that’s thanks to the taxpayers of Minnesota telling the Legislature last spring and summer that we needed to prioritize changes and improvements in our schools, and funding was one of them.
“The district has a lot of good work to do based on a lot of those things that came out of the Legislature, and we’re happy to partner with them in the work.”
Olson noted the READ Act as one of the examples, which will be a pretty big lift for public schools.
“I think it’s a bigger bite than the people that put the legislation together realized. But, you know what, our kids need to have the best instruction in front of them to learn how to be the best readers. So we owe it to them.”
Bittman also emphasized the importance of collaboration in ensuring the success of students and families. He noted that by working together, ISD 728 cannot only support all staff but also enrich the educational experience for all those in the district.
If approved, the contract will be effective through the end of the 2024-2025 academic calendar year, concluding on June 30, 2025.
“This agreement underscores an ongoing commitment to providing a positive and supportive environment for both staff and students,” Bittman said.
Most Popular
Comments / 0