Westerville City School District

WEA NEGOTIATIONS: CHRONOLOGY OF MEETINGS

December 14, 2011 Notice to Negotiate (Request for Interim Bargaining)
December 19, 2011 Meeting to discuss items in Notice to Negotiate
December 21, 2011 Meetings to discuss Boards request for concessions
January 6, 2012 Meetings to discuss Boards request for concessions
January 17, 2012 Meetings to discuss Boards request for concessions
April 19, 2012 Pre-Bargaining Meeting
May 23, 2012 Initial Exchange of Issues
May 30, 2012 Review of Exchange of Issues
June 6, 2012 Financial Meeting (Review of Five-Year Forecast)
June 14, 2012 Negotiations Meeting
June 20, 2012 Negotiations Meeting
June 21, 2012 Negotiations Meeting
June 22, 2012 Negotiations Meeting
June 25, 2012 Negotiations Meeting
July 30, 2012 Negotiations Meeting
August 2, 2012 Negotiations Meeting
August 8, 2012 Negotiations Meeting
August 9, 2012 Negotiations Meeting
August 10, 2012 Negotiations Meeting

Negotiations
(8/13/2012 -- 10:15 p.m.) The Westerville City School District Board of Education and Westerville Education Association (WEA) today ratified a successor collective bargaining agreement that begins September 1, 2012, and remains in effect through the 2014-15 school year. The three-year agreement includes compensation concessions in years one and two, provides a cost of living and step increases for additional experience in year three, and retains related arts specialist positions and aide positions to allow teacher planning time. The contract also incorporates language to manage new teacher evaluation requirements and ensure that any future reductions in force meet new state requirements. Documentation regarding the successor agreement is available by clicking here.

(8/13/2012 -- 11 a.m.) The Westerville Education Association will be reviewing and voting on a proposed contract at 6:30 p.m. today. If approved by WEA membership, the Board of Education is prepared to vote on the proposal during tonight’s regular meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. in the Westerville South High School commons. The proposed contract would be in effect from September 1, 2012, through August 31, 2015. The first two years of the proposal include freezes to base salary and step increases, while the third year calls for a 2 percent cost of living adjustment to base pay, as well as credit for 1.5 years of experience on the step schedule. The contract also phases out Board contributions to Health Savings Accounts while retaining art, music and physical education specialist positions. Also retained are classified aide positions, which allow teachers planning time to collaborate on the best way to meet the diverse educational needs of students.

(8/7/2012) The Westerville City School District Board of Education continues to honor the collective bargaining process and will not discuss contract proposals that were detailed in the media today. District officials reaffirm that they will continue to respect protocol, negotiate in good faith, and avoid bargaining through the media. Bargaining teams for the Board of Education and Westerville Education Association remain at the table working toward a successor contract. The Board’s primary goal has been, and will continue to be, to finalize a new contract with the teachers’ union. The next bargaining session is scheduled for Wednesday, August 8.

(8/3/2012) The next bargaining session is scheduled for August 8, 2012. The information line at 797-7900 has been updated. The Board of Education today approved a resolution authorizing district officials to purchase Phase I security and personnel services from Huffmaster in the event of a work stoppage by the Westerville Education Association.

(7/31/2012) The next bargaining session is scheduled for August 2, 2012.

(7/25/2012) The next bargaining session is scheduled for July 30, 2012. District officials have established an information line at 797-7900.

(7/18/2012) District officials understand that there is tremendous interest in the community regarding the status of negotiations with the teachers’ union. At this point, because of collective bargaining protocol, officials cannot share any details, other than to confirm that both parties are still at the table working on a contract to replace the current one that expires at the end of August.

The Board of Education made a commitment to the community that the emergency levy passed last March will maintain a balanced budget for several years. As employee compensation is typically the largest expenditure for any school district, and as the teachers’ union is the largest of our employee groups, these negotiations are critical to the Board’s ability to keep that promise to taxpayers. A federal mediator has been assisting with negotiations since the beginning of the process, which has been a standard practice in past negotiations. The mediator helps both bargaining teams work through those typical issues such as salary, benefits and working conditions. This year bargaining teams are also working on compliance with new state legislation that impacts the work and evaluations of the district’s teaching staff.

Those interested in this topic are encouraged to keep watching this portion of the district’s web site, as well as the local newspaper, for any information that may be released in the future regarding the status of negotiations.