Special education teachers, represented by TASK-NEA and the board of directors for the South Central Kansas Education Cooperative have gone to the next step in an attempt to resolve differences over teacher contracts that began last spring.
When negotiations stalled in October, a mediator was brought in to assist; in January, the board rejected a tentative agreement reached by the negotiating team of teachers and board representatives. Earlier this month, Dr. Lynn Ahrens, cooperative director, filed documents with the Kansas Department of Labor to begin a fact-finding process.
“We wanted to go back to the table, but they (the board) wanted to go to fact-finding,” Tami Rose, past president and spokesperson for TASK-NEA said.
TASK stands for Teachers Association and Special Kids. It is the bargaining unit for 103 teachers in the 15 school districts served by the cooperative.
They estimate the cost for both sides to complete the fact-finding process could be “upwards to $5,000,” money that could be put to better use in these difficult financial times.
Rose compared fact-finding to a court hearing, with teachers and the board first coming to an agreement on a fact finder to hear the case. Each side will present their facts.
In support of their requests, TASK-NEA will present information that secretaries, paraprofessionals and an administrator all received pay increases. Rose believes they will be able to submit data going back three years to show how many teachers have left the cooperative. She said that teachers hired for 2009-10 to replace more experienced teachers saved the cooperative $115,540 in salary. In addition, she says their group was provided with information showing a $3 million budget carryover.
As is typical, discussion of personnel issues was conducted in executive session.
“I am not at liberty to discuss the cost of the enhancement package,” Ahrens said, although she did acknowledge,“their number is different than ours. It amounts to a sizeable amount of money.”
Board President Kent Swartz returned a call from the Tribune but declined comment.
At the February meeting, the SCKSEC board entered into a 20-minute executive session to discuss non-elected personnel and negotiations, but took no action after returning to regular session.
Agreement was reached at that meeting that the director and assistant director’s contracts would not be extended but left “as is” until June 30, 2011, due to the economic situation and the fact that many of the school districts are going to one-year contracts for administrators. The co-op is following the lead of the district, according to meeting minutes posted at www.scksec.com.
Pratt, Kan. —
