MVEA DECLARES IMPASSE AFTER DISTRICT MAKES NO MOVEMENT
Tuesday, January 18th, Our MVEA bargaining team met with the District’s team to continue bargaining the 2021-22 contract reopeners. MVWSD refused to consider any of our requests for sustainable working conditions, smaller class sizes, or a fair raise, despite having the largest reserve in the county. Due to MVWSD’s unwillingness to consider any of our proposals, our MVEA bargaining team had to declare impasse.
We should have been done with these negotiations in the fall and should already be negotiating our full agreement which expires this coming June 30th, 2022.
We are deeply disappointed in the district for their lack of interest in supporting and listening to teachers. In negotiations they stated that they were “proud” of the 20% new teacher turnover rate – the highest in our county.
With our impasse declaration today, we clearly stated to the District that we refuse to accept their unwillingness to negotiate in the best interest of our students. Sadly, the District is choosing to punish teachers for standing up for our students. They will only offer us a reasonable salary increase for this year if we sign a contract that will not allow any changes for the next three years. They rejected all requests to shrink class sizes for our students and create sustainable working conditions for our teachers. We are holding strong for a 5% salary increase and 3% one time payment for our teachers who have been working day and night during a pandemic…
MVWSD insists that they are improving working conditions, but they haven’t fulfilled their promise of hiring permanent substitutes at every site, scheduling IEPs during the school day, hiring enough yard duty supervision, and reducing staff meetings.
We are continuing to fight for the following conditions to increase student learning and safety:
-Smaller class sizes to increase student achievement
-More yard duty supervisors to increase student safety
-Reduction in staff meetings so teachers have time to prepare high quality lessons
-Defined working hours
-Compensation for IEPs and other after school responsibilities
-Address substitute shortage
-Readjust middle school bell schedule for cohesive lesson planning