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Washougal Teachers End Strike With Unanimous Ratification Vote

Washougal, WA — Nearly two weeks of a Washougal teachers strike came to end Thursday morning at Washougal High School as the Washington Association of Educators (WAE) voted 100% to approve the tentative agreement negotiators presented to them.

The two-year agreement gives Washougal teachers significant pay increases — 18% in year 1 (immediately) and 5% in year 2, and also boosts starting salaries to $51,434 in year 1. At the high end, veteran educators will receive a total compensation package of $96,944 in year 1 — excluding benefits. In year 2, the starting salary jumps to $53,005, and veteran salaries max out at $99,906. Funding comes from the new McCleary legislation that pumps $2 billion statewide, which is earmarked for teacher pay.

The compensation package consists of three areas: 1) Base pay; 2) Professional Development stipend, and 3) “Responsiblity” pay.

”We’re very pleased we came to an agreement,” said Eric Engebretson, WAE President. “We learned a lot about what the district faces, and we’re pleased to be able to provide this new package to our members. We all worked very hard on this.”

The often acrimonious bargaining sessions and tedious picketing tested energies and stamina on both sides. Wednesday evening both Engebretson and Dr. Mary Templeton, the Washougal School District Superintendent, appeared jointly in a video to report the tentative agreement.

Joint Press Interview: Templeton & Engebretson

“I am thrilled about the 100% ratification vote today,” said Templeton. “I think that signals strongly that we got it right. The contract has a lot of enhancement for salary, and that was our focus. That was our focus before we even started bargaining. We wanted to make sure we were regionally competitive, which was the common mission that both sides of the table had. We’re at a place where all of us feel very good about the contract and the salary enhancement. With regards to the budget, we always have to strike that balance between being regionally competitive around salary, but also making sure that you are fiscally sound over the course of one year, two years, three years, four years out. We’ve done that.  We are so excited to say we are recruiting teachers at a starting salary of around $50,000. We are also able to value our teachers who have been with us for many years to say we can compensate you at around $96,000. In year 2, we get really close to $100,000.”

During the interview, Templeton also said the deal doesn’t put WSD into a deficit, but that they will have to watch the budget very closely as they are reducing reserves from 16% on hand to 9%, which is how they were able to make the agreement work. By statute, they are required to keep at least two months of operating revenue on hand at all times.

WSD operates on a $44 million annual budget.

And, she addressed rumors that the district had $12 million in reserves.

“That’s simply not true,” she said.

Templeton will tour schools on Friday to visit students and teachers, and plans to substitute in the classroom at a future date. This is her third month on the job as WSD Superintendent.

 

 

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Camas School District Faces Massive Budget Deficit — If Law Doesn’t Change

Camas, WA — Camas School District (CSD) bucked the current Clark County teachers strike trend and started classes on schedule earlier this week. Negotiations between CSD and the Camas Education Association (CEA) started in May and ended on Sunday, September 2 — just ahead of the deadline that would have triggered a strike in Milltown.

Both sides agreed to a two-year deal that costs CSD $37 million in year 1, and approximately $38 million in year 2. The new deal gives teachers a 9.3% – 12.6% pay raise in year 1, which tapers off in year 2. Most breathed a sigh of relief, but this is really the beginning of the story about the impacts of the 2017 McCleary law, and how districts around the state are dealing with looming budget deficits — if nothing changes in two years.

During those negotiations, CSD alerted the public regarding the realities of future district budget deficits.

At their CSD School Board budget review session on August 13, budget forecasts revealed a 3.8% layoff projection, which was based on a pay raise of 3.1%. This is the reality of the new McCleary model. So, what does a 9.3-12% pay increase to do the budget? Our math also shows that CSD is going to have a $9 million budget deficit in 2-3 years. Here is a link to the budget forecast message at the August 13 School Board meeting, which predicts a 3.8% layoff in 2020-21:

August 13 School Board Meeting

We spent considerable time with Camas Schools Superintendent, Jeff Snell, and CEA Lead negotiator, Mark Gardner, about looming deficits. Politicians, political candidates, and others also offered their perspective on the new realities of McCleary — if left unchanged.

Kathy Gillespie, a political candidate for the 18th Legislative District, Position 2, recently said regarding the McCleary levy swipe/levy cap: “After decades of allowing schools to use voter-approved local special levies to pay for basic education expenses (violating the state constitution), including teacher salaries, the state swiped that money into the state budget, lowered the rate districts are allowed to ask for in future levy requests and restricted use of the money to state-approved expenses. This means many, many districts have lost capacity to fund current programs citizens expect. In fact, the loss is estimated to be 40% statewide and totals $1.13 billion in 2019-20.”

OSPI spokesman, Nathan Olson, says Washington will see a net decrease in funding in 2019 overall. The state solved the McCleary problem by reducing local districts’ reliance on local levies. But for many districts, it means the same or less cash, added Gillespie.

Added to the chaos is that each district has its own set of issues, and OSPI says certain districts will have it worse than others. Those districts, according to OSPI, typically have one of four qualities: 1) they already pay salaries near the state average, 2) they pay more for certificated staff than they were given by the state, 3) they didn’t get a pay bump for having experienced teachers, and 4) they’re losing 50 percent or more of their local levy capacity next year.”

Doreen McKercher, CSD Communications Director, says that Camas fits into those areas.

Gillespie continued: “Make no mistake, this chaos is a direct result of the inequities baked into the Legislative solutions passed in 2017-2018. The 2019 Legislature must uncover and systematically attempt to address shortcomings as the first order of business. Local communities must articulate their expectations to elected boards and representatives and remain engaged to advocate long after these local contracts are signed and school is back in session. I want citizens to be fully aware that decisions now to award salary increases over and above what can be sustained will potentially result in cuts as early as Spring 2019. I support our public schools and I am committed more than ever to being part of the new cadre of state legislators who will create sound policy that delivers the results we expect instead of creating the crisis we have now.”

State Representative Liz Pike, who voted against the McCleary bill, said “this is why I voted against it, because I knew it put too much stress on property owners with the biggest tax hike in state history, and that it would hurt school districts.”

Teachers

Camas Superintendent, Jeff Snell, at Prune Hill on the first day of school.

So, we asked Snell directly.

Did this new two-year deal with the teachers put us in financial jeopardy?

“Having an agreement with CEA is a very positive step,” said Snell. “This change in the funding model from the state has really created a whole new system for us to operate in. The old system really helped us, and now that’s been capped by the state. The total cost for the new contract, including benefits, is probably 12-13% over two years, which is aligned to the increased funding we received from the state. The challenge is down the road. When your organization is primarily staffing, costs will grow each year. When you look at the new funding model three or four years out, the revenue does not match up to expenses. That could be a challenge in the future if things don’t change.”

“It’s challenging for us in public schools because we always operate at the discretion or whim of the Legislature, and we operate in these two-year windows. We try to put all the resources to the students, but we also try to be thoughtful and think about the future. We have great facilities and resources, and we’ve also saved to open up new schools. For the next two years, we have to tighten our belts and look at efficiencies while protecting the programs we provide for students. We also know we have to retain and attract the best teachers, so we have to find that balance. This is why it took so long to get an agreement. I’m hopeful the state will make some necessary adjustments to the new model.”

Is this a gamble?

“There are always risks when you take on more costs for your employees,” Snell said. “You don’t go into a deal without having a plan for it, but we do need to find efficiencies and we do need to make sure the state understands the challenges of the new model.”

What are the risks?

“It’s challenging, I agree with you. We have to figure that out, which is why we pushed for a two-year deal. We need time to figure out the new system, and we need time to advocate. We’re a growing community and when we have increased student population that increases state revenue. There are a lot of factors in there. I love this school district, this is my home, and I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize that. It’s very real to me. I’m happy we’re able to come to an agreement. I know CEA understands the parameters we’re working with. CEA knows that if nothing happens from the state, we need to work side-by-side to figure this out. We have to do that with student interests first.”

Is there a $9 million CSD budget deficit looming?

“We could be entering a deficit scenario several years down the road, but we have a planned fund balance spend down, opportunities for growth in enrollment, tools such as hiring freezes, and working with our legislature to make adjustments to the new funding model and mitigate its impact,” said Snell. “It will be really important for our Legislature to look at the long-term plan for how this new funding model can be sustainable not just in Camas, but across our state. If nothing changes in two years, and you look at the way we’re funded in the district, something would have to change with that, because we can’t sustain that over time. We would have to make some cuts.”

“What’s important for our citizens to know is that we’ve used the former funding system to develop a staffing model that exceeded what the state has provided and has delivered to Camas,” said Snell. “For example, in Camas, 1.5 nurses isn’t enough for an entire district, so we’ve used local support through our levy to fund those needs. So, what this deal does is it gives us a window of time to better understand the new funding model and advocate for necessary changes. It’s important for the state to consider the staffing they provide local districts in the new model and recognize it takes more staff to get the job done. We don’t want to limit the local community. We have a four-year levy that was approved by our voters here, and the Legislature changed that. We were counting on more money from the local community, and that’s being taken away.”

Strike

There are many pieces of the puzzle to figure out how to get through the next two years.

How does CSD straighten this out?

“McCleary has been happening for seven years and many people have worked hard to advocate to where we’re at now, and changing a funding model is hard and it’s complicated,” said Snell. “I believe some of the ramifications of the new law weren’t intended, and as the Legislature comes back into session, it’s critical for me to share the impact that it’s having on our local community, and I could use your help in sharing that. To be honest, sometimes legislators get tired of hearing from me. They want to hear from their constituents. When you look at what we have here in Camas we want to be able to hold onto that. We want to keep innovating. We need to have sustainable funding.”

For his part, Gardner doesn’t think there are any budget problems.

“Camas is getting $11 million more than in previous years,” said Gardner. “State money will fill in the gaps.”

He told union members: “If anyone questions sustainability, just tell them Camas is getting $11 million more than last year.”

We asked Gardner if this deal puts the district in financial peril. He said, “No, it doesn’t — we would never want to do that.”

He said he coudn’t guarantee that, but added there needs to be advocacy to changes things in the Legislature, and that the union should work side-by-side with CSD administration.

“We have a wonderful school board that has done a great job of developing and sustaining a great school district,” said Snell. “We will find our way through this transition and continue to provide outstanding learning experiences for our students.”

Follow-up articles on looming budget issues are forthcoming, including how to advocate for special education funding, and state staffing ratios. Each article will analyze each issue, and propose solutions.

McCleary

Several CEA members avoided a strike.

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Analysis: What’s in New Camas Teachers Contract? 9.3-12.6% Pay Raises, More

Camas, WA — During Labor Day’s Camas Education Association (CEA) ratification meeting at Camas High School, 391 teachers voted 100% to approve their union’s tentative agreement.

The tentative agreement, which was reached Sunday evening, avoided a teachers strike and helped Camas buck the Clark County strike trend.

But, what’s in it? How long does it last? And, how does it affect the overall Camas School District (CSD) budget over the next two to four years? How does the McCleary law affect the CSD budget?

We spent considerable time with CEA lead negotiator, Mark Gardner, and CSD Superintendent, Jeff Snell to analyze the two-year deal, which is the first of its kind (for Camas) under the new McCleary public school funding model.

 

So, what’s in it?

  • Pay increases of 9.3 (minimum) to 12.6 percent for some at the top end. There has been a total overhaul of the salary schedule, which is based on experience and continued education credits.
  • Compensation structure changes: Changes TRI base, adds three voluntary inservice days, and a Personal Development (PD) flat stipend.
  • Creates longevity mentor stipend.

For year 1, teachers at the low end of the salary scale get a 9.3% increase, and those on the high end receive a 12.6% increase. In year 2, there is another 4.6% increase for the low end, and 2.6% for the high end. The total cost to taxpayers is approximately $37 million in year 1, and approximately $38 million in year 2.

Under the new model, CSD is eliminating most of the TRI pay and building that into the base salary. But the important points are total compensation.

Starting Teachers

The new deal will pay starting teachers, with a Bachelor’s degree, a total compensation package of $50,727 in year 1. So how does that break down?

Year 1 base salary: $47,431 + 3.3% TRI or $1,565 + 3 voluntary inservice days + Personal Development (PD) Stipend = $50,727, which is an overall increase of 9.28% over last year. Year 2 brings their total compensation to $52,868.

Experienced Teachers

Experienced teachers (16+ years), with a Master’s Degree fare better, and will receive a total compensation package of $97,528 in year 1.

Year 1 base salary: $89,339 + 3.3% TRI or $2,950 + 3 Voluntary inservice days + PD flat stipend = $97,529, which is a 12.6% increase over last year. Year 2 brings their total compensation to $100,110.

Teachers

The teachers left the CEA ratification meeting very happy.

The new deal also creates a longevity mentor stipend, which was a concept the district brought to the table. That’s how the negotiators were able to get to the six-figure salary offer for teachers at the high end. Gardner believed that CSD couldn’t get to six figures, as he insists the district is “over-staffed,” meaning they exceed the state standards for full-time employees.

“They are very common throughout the state, but Camas has never had it,” said Gardner, of the longevity mentor stipend. “Historically, teachers at 16+ years of service remain stagnant in their pay, so this is a way to reward them for their service. The longevity stipend offsets that. The district is shuffling some of that pool of money and rewarding those veteran teachers so we can retain and attract experienced teachers.”

Snell said that it was clear that a competitive top end salary was a priority for CEA and they had to be creative in finding a way to get there. The longevity mentor stipend is a different way to provide compensation that is not applied to the entire salary schedule. “We have an outstanding, veteran staff,” said Snell. “This was a way that the district and CEA were able to come together and figure out a way to honor the service they provide.”

“We did a top end stipend for longevity, which was a creative way to get there,” Snell said. “It gives us capacity in the future. Longevity mentor stipend is a separate funding source that got us to mirror other districts. We have veteran staff so it costs us more to apply to the whole schedule. We looked at the top end and figured out a way to honor them. It means that if you’re at the top end, it allows us to get to six figures.”

Veteran teacher Andrea McCarty is thrilled. We spoke with her right after the ratification vote.

”I’m so happy with this, but I’m still digesting the details,” said McCarty, a veteran Camas teacher. “It’s nice to know we’re appreciated.”

Teachers

Camas Superintendent, Jeff Snell, at Prune Hill on the first day of school.

 

Budget issues

The new McCleary funding model also brings with it serious CSD budget issues.

At their CSD School Board budget review session on August 13, budget forecasts revealed a 3.8% layoff projection, which was based on a pay raise of 3.1%. This is the reality of the new McCleary model. So, what does a 9.3-12% pay increase to do the budget?

Snell says the new two-year agreement gives the district time to come up with solutions, however, he adds “we have a tough road ahead under the new funding model.”

We’ve done a thorough analysis that shows major budget deficits in two to three years — if nothing changes. The data analysis has been backed by multiple third-party reviews. The next article focuses on public education funding in the new McCleary era, the size of those projected deficits, and will examine the very real challenges that CSD needs to resolve in the next two to three years.

Stay tuned.

For now, Snell is happy schools are in session, and he looks forward to resolving the challenges that are coming.

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Fisher Investments, Rotary Deliver 58 Backpacks With School Supplies

Camas, WA — Employees at Fisher Investments recently gathered supplies to assist 58 local students, and with help from the Camas-Washougal Rotary Club, they’ve been delivered and are being dispersed as needed.

“Fifty-eight backpacks were donated by Fisher Investment employees,” said Rotarian Kathy Bussman, who worked with Kalle Fletcher to organize the donations. “The supplies list is provided by school superintendents — pencils, paper, notebooks, glue, scissors, rulers, basic supplies.”

CW Rotary coordinated with both the Camas and Washougal school districts, gathered the supplies, and filled the backpacks. Fisher Investments provided giant boxes around their campus that were generously filled by their employees.

“Last year, they called us and asked how they could participate,” said Bussman. “That was the first year, and they called us again this year. We’re grateful for their support.”

Rotary delivered them to the administration offices, and the district will distribute them out to the schools.

“It was an honor for us and our employees to have the opportunity to partner with Rotary on this worthwhile initiative to provide school supplies to kids,” said John Dillard, spokesman for Fisher Investments. “This is our second year participating in the program, and this year we donated dozens of backpacks and several hundred school supplies.”

Backpacks

The Fletcher girls delivers backpacks and supplies to local school districts. The supplies were provided by Fisher Investments.

 

“We are eager to partner with community members and local businesses that are interested in providing supports to students and families,” said Dr. Mary Templeton, Superintendent of Washougal School District. “The backpacks are a great support to families that can’t provide a set of school supplies for their children, and are appreciated.  We also have collection boxes at schools for patrons who are interested in making more general donations of any school supplies, too.”

“The distribution process is a little different at each school.  In our schools that have a Family Resource Center, the FRC staff person will assist with identifying families that might need or have asked for support.  At Washougal High School, the Panther Den would be the place where students would be provided with these resources. School staff at all sites work to identify families that might need these kinds of supports so that social workers, counselors, and FRC staff people can reach out to offer them.  Staff will also make announcements and have posters or fliers in the office that let students and families know that these resources are available.”
Backpacks

Organizing supplies donated by Fisher Investments.

 

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Strike Update: Washougal Schools Announce No School on Wednesday

Washougal, WA — There will be no school on Wednesday September 5, 2018, said the Washougal School District in a public statement.

The statement reads as follows:

The school district continues to bargain with our teacher union to end their strike. Both sides bargained from 8 AM to past 1 AM, but no agreement was reached. The district provided the association with a proposal at 6 PM, but the association did not respond with a proposal. The mediators have asked both sides to come back tomorrow.

After the sides come to agreement, the association will need time to present it to their membership and vote to ratify it. We will let parents know at least 24 hours ahead of time which day will be the first day of school.

Through the 21 bargaining sessions thus far, the association and the district have worked through many language issues. Both parties brought a list of items to the table and both have withdrawn some proposed changes. The district has agreed to an association proposal that improves caseload remedies for Special Education teachers. The district added monies to a fund that recognizes longevity in the district, and added dollars to incentives for teachers to notify the district early if they plan to retire. This early notice allows the district to recruit teachers during the height of the hiring season. The two sides have agreed to language that allows therapists and psychologists to use prior licensed clinical experience to enhance their salary.

In response to association proposals, teacher leave benefits have been improved. An additional day of bereavement leave was added, and the cash-out value of each personal leave day was increased. The district also agreed that teachers will now be able to receive the dollar value of any unused personal leave days when they retire from the district. Additional improvements based on association proposals include pay for attending First Aid training and Safety Committee meetings. Teachers will receive increased compensation for packing, moving and unpacking should they need to move classrooms.

Teachers

Washougal children at a recent rally.

Remaining items that are still in discussions are salary, supplemental stipends for department chairs and club advisors, class size/overload changes, implementation of the new Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave program, and combination classrooms.

We remain committed to working with the association to reach an agreement so that we can all get back to serving the children in our community. Please visit our website for information on bargaining issues and to monitor the situation.

Both teams will return to the bargaining table on Tuesday September 4 to continue working with mediators to work on resolving remaining issues.

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Camas, CEA, Reach Agreement — Buck Clark County Teacher Strike Trend

Camas, WA — At the eleventh hour, negotiations between Camas School District (CSD) negotiators and the Camas Education Association (CEA) ended in a tentative agreement — to avert a strike — that will be voted on by union members Monday, September 3, at Camas High School.

“We’re very excited, said Camas School District Superintendent, Jeff Snell. “We are grateful we could find common ground and move forward.”

During our interview with CEA President Shelley Houle, she said: “Just in time for Labor Day, CEA and CSD achieved a Tentative Two-Year Agreement that brings total individual educator compensation in year one ranging at entry from $50,727 to a maximum of $97,529 for educators with 16 or more years of experience as well as a Master’s Degree plus ninety college credits. The salary range in 2019-20 is from $52,868 to $100,110 with 15 or more years of experience and a Masters plus ninety college credits.”

Please see our in-depth YouTube interview with Houle: Interview with Shelley Houle

The CEA will be meeting for a private association meeting to review and ratify the full Tentative Agreement on Monday (Labor Day), September 3rd at 5 pm.

Snell can’t speak to the details until the CEA ratifies the agreement, but said he’s very pleased they arrived at a settlement before the new school season begins on Tuesday.

“We came to an agreement around the parameters that CEA wanted,” said Snell. “We know it’s going to be hard in the future. It’s going to be hard because of the new state model. We really tried to mirror those demands fairly. I feel good about it. The details will come out tomorrow. Camas bucked the trend in Clark County.”

He said each district is very unique.

“We are just fortunate we came to an agreement on both sides,” Snell said. “We hope other districts will get it done, as well. What happens is they ratify and the School Board will approve the next contract at their next board meeting. Districts around the state are starting to move a little more, which will create a lot of energy.”

Details of the settlement will be revealed Monday evening.

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A Parent’s Perspective: It’s Back To School Time — Or Is it? A Guest Editorial

Labor Day weekend is upon us and that usually means it’s time for the kids to go back to school. But if you’ve been paying attention you might have heard that many local SW Washington school district teachers are on strike and school may not start at its scheduled time. What’s going on? Why are there all these strikes? As the parent of a Camas middle-schooler I had the same questions and have recently done a little research on the issue. So read on if you want some more information.

The issue goes back to the McCleary lawsuit against the State of Washington which charged that the state failed to adequately fund basic education in violation of a Constitutional mandate. The problem arose over the years with many districts increasingly relying on local levies to increase funding for education, resulting in inequality across districts. The state Supreme Court sided with the plaintiffs and ruled that basic education must be fully funded by state money, not local money. The legislature’s fix to the problem was to provide an additional $2 billion in funding for basic education distributed across the state’s 295 school districts and to place a cap on local levies, which can now only be used for enhancement and not basic education (eg, teacher salaries).

A few school districts that did not have levies and had low levels of local property tax funding for schools have received large increases in funding under the McCleary legislation. As a result teachers in a few of these underfunded districts have already negotiated large salary increases, in some cases up to 20%. However, many other districts don’t fare as well under the new McCleary funding model. Particularly hard hit are districts that have historically relied on larger local levy funds.

The local Camas community highly values education and through its strong support for local levies the Camas School District (CSD) has been able to develop a great school system. In fact, the schools are what have brought many people and businesses to Camas. The most recent levies were four-year levies passed in 2017 to support maintenance/operations and technology and these provide a number of benefits to students. Levy funds of about $17 million make up about 20% of CSD’s overall annual budget. http://www.camas.wednet.edu/about-csd/budget-funding/levies/

Unfortunately, the impact of the McCleary legislation will substantially reduce CSD’s levy funds. CSD will receive a nominal increase in funding from the state starting in 2018-19, which levels off and there will be an overall decrease in funding for the 2019-20 school year as levy funding continues to decline (see table). Adding to the chaos is that the state provided little guidance to local districts, essentially leaving them on their own to figure out how to handle the drastically changed funding system.

School

The state teacher’s union (Washington Education Association) saw the lack of state guidance and the new statewide funding plan as an opportunity to attempt to negotiate large salary increases on behalf of their members. The WEA held up as examples of what was possible districts that were able to provide 20+% salary increases due to the large windfall those districts received under McCleary. The local teacher’s union, led by Mark Gardner, appears to be pushing for double-digit salary increases, but has not publicly provided information about their requested increase. During the negotiations the district initially offered a 3.1% increase, raised it to 4%, and finally offered teachers a 5.7% increase in 2018-19 followed by another 2.3% increase in 2019-20. The teacher’s union rejected all of these offers and voted to strike. The district then requested mediation and here we are with less than a week before school starts wondering if the kids will be going back to school.

Camas has wonderful school teachers and even though they are among the highest paid in the state I would gladly do my part to help pay them more (we voted for the bond and levies and do what we can to help our school), but unfortunately the issue is not as simple as the slogan “support the teachers.” There are difficult funding and budgetary realities that we must contend with, especially in light of the future major loss of levy funding. The district administrators are mandated by law to sustainably fund the schools and, unfortunately for Camas, the McCleary legislation has not been kind to our district. Large double-digit salary increases could potentially bankrupt the district or require future teacher layoffs or staff cuts as well as cuts to other services, including: special education, library, health, and extracurricular activities; all things that help make our district great.

Everyone in the Camas school district is dedicated to helping our kids learn and it’s disheartening to see this come down to a strike and the acrimony it is creating in our district. I support the teachers, but I also support our dedicated administrators who I believe truly have our district’s interests at heart as they try to responsibly manage our district’s limited funds. Hopefully they can reach a suitable agreement and all the kids can return to school and continue learning. In the meantime, please call your local state legislator, tell them about the problem they have created in our school district, and ask them to fix the McCleary mess they have created.

By Ken O’Day, a Camas parent

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Washougal Teachers Strike Update: No School Rest of This Week

Washougal WA — The Washougal School District has announced the cancellation of school for both Thursday, August 30 and Friday, August 31 due to the ongoing Washougal Association of Educators (WAE) strike.  After-school sports and activities will continue as planned.

“We understand how difficult it has been on Washougal families and students with the daily uncertainty of whether or not school will be held,” said Mary Templeton, WSD Superintendent.  “For that reason, and to continue negotiations, we are making the decision now to cancel school both days before the long Labor Day weekend.”

WSD remains hopeful that the first day of school will be Tuesday, September 4.  The district has committed to communicating with parents at least 24 hours ahead of time if there will not be school on Tuesday.  In the event an agreement is reached, the association will need time to present it to their membership and vote to ratify it.

“We remain committed to working with the association to reach an agreement so that we can all get back to serving the children in our community,” Templeton said.  “We believe our proposal supports our well-deserving teachers, is fair and equitable and is something the Washougal community can sustain over time.”

At Tuesday’s Washougal School Board meeting, Templeton removed Action D from the agenda, which would have authorized her to use legal means to end the strike, which the district views as illegal. That removal came at the very beginning of the meeting. There is precedent for using legal maneuvers to end strikes in Washington state history. At times, parent groups filed suit.

Here’s a look at some of the history:

  • 2011: Tacoma teachers strike — Pierce County Superior Court Judge Bryan Chuschcoff ordered teachers to return to work under threat of monetary fine if they failed to comply.
  • 2009: Kent teachers strike — King County Superior Court Judge Andrea Darvas issued an injunction to end the strike. The strike ended under threat of monetary fine from Darvas.
  • 2003: Marysville teachers strike — Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Linda Krese ordered the strike to end, saying “Public employee strikes are illegal under the common law of Washington. The [Marysville Education Association] strike violates the prohibition on public-employee strikes and is an illegal strike.”
  • 2002: Issaquah teachers strike —  King County Superior Court Judge Joan Dubuque declared the strike illegal and threatened to fine teachers who continue to strike.

There are 22 other recorded court orders mandating striking teachers return to work.

RCW 41.56.120 states the “right to strike not granted. Nothing contained in this chapter shall permit any public employee the right to strike or refuse to perform his or her official duties.”

The Washington Attorney General’s office, in 2006, wrote: “In Washington, state and public employees do not have a legally protected right to strike. No such right existed at common law, and none has been granted by statute.”

Templeton said she removed Action D from the agenda because she felt negotiations were progressing.

Several citizens and teachers spoke during the public comments period claiming the board isn’t giving the teachers money that the state authorized in the McCleary legislation. One even claimed the board was violating federal law by not being transparent with the public about how funds are used.

The board approved a $44 million budget for the 2018-19 school year, as well as resolutions that give the superintendent the power to close schools for security reasons during the strike.

Information on WSD/WAE bargaining can be found on the district’s website at www.washougal.k12.wa.us

 

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Camas School District Officially Responds to Teacher’s Strike Vote

Camas, WA — The Camas School District (CSD) has issued a formal response to the Camas Education Association’s (CEA) vote to strike beginning on the first day of school, September 4, pending a salary agreement. With the help of a mediator, negotiations between CSD and CEA will continue this week.

According to CSD administration, updates about the labor negotiations progress will be emailed to families, posted on district social media (Facebook and Twitter), and included on the CSD Labor Relations webpage (http://bit.ly/CamasLabor). Answers to many questions may be found on the Questions & Answers webpage (http://bit.ly/CamasQA).

Official CSD Strike Statement

While our district offered teachers the option to continue working under the current contract, CEA has stated that unless an amended agreement is reached, teachers will not return to the classroom. What this means for you and your student during a work stoppage is:

  • If an agreement is not reached 24 hours before the start of school on September 4, we will notify you that school will not open as scheduled.
  • Each day after that, we will continue to give you updates until an agreement is reached and school is scheduled to reopen (at least a 24-hour notice will be given before we reopen school).
  • All scheduled events and activities (such as open houses, class schedule pick-up, orientations, etc.) scheduled before September 3 will still happen.

During the work stoppage, school buildings will be staffed with essential, non-striking personnel but will not be open to students, families, or the general public. The district administrative offices will be open.

Since athletic coaches are covered under a separate contract, high school and middle school athletics will continue with scheduled practices and games/matches/meets as much as possible.

There will be no district childcare.

Students will still be required to complete the state-mandated requirement of attending school for 180 days. Any days missed at the beginning of the year will be made up – much like snow days. A new calendar will be provided after school resumes.

Questions and Answers

We asked Doreen McKercher, CSD Communications Director, several questions:

What does the district do when the CEA announces a strike? What’s your process?

We have a strike plan in place that covers things like communications, logistics, and planning for next steps. We’ll be communicating with families.

Is this strike even legal? Citing RCW 41.56.120: “Right to strike not granted. Nothing contained in this chapter shall permit or grant any public employee the right to strike or refuse to perform his or her official duties.” The Attorney General’s Office said: “In Washington, state and local public employees do not have a legally protected right to strike. No such right existed at common law, and none has been granted by statute.” What is CSD’s opinion on this?

In Washington, strikes by public employees, including teachers, are illegal. This is recognized in decisions made by the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) and Washington courts. Despite clarity in the law, there are no real repercussions for breaking this law.

How long does a strike have to go on until it starts affecting this year’s school schedule? We understand it’s like using up snow days.

Yes, the plan is to use inclement weather makeup days initially. Should the strike last for an extended period of time, we’d look at scheduled breaks and possibly Saturdays.

If a strike goes past 15 days, then classified staff won’t get paid, but will the teachers also not get paid?

It is my understanding that if the strike continues past the 15th of September, none of the 9- and 10-month staff will be paid, but I still need confirmation on that. We want to make sure we’re following the rules, so we don’t have a definitive answer on that.

Will back to school nights even happen?

Yes, all in-service training, meetings, and the back-to-school events occurring this week will continue as planned.

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205 Washougal Teachers on Strike — What Happens Next?

Washougal, WA — Because negotiators from the Washington Association of Educators (WAE) and the Washougal School District (WSD) could not reach a tentative agreement Monday at 5 pm, 205 WSD certificated teachers are officially on strike, effective Tuesday morning.

“The teachers already voted last week that if a tentative agreement wasn’t reached by August 27 at 5 pm, we will go on strike,” said Eric Engebretson, WAE president. “The work stoppage starts tomorrow morning. We are working on a counter proposal and we will keep negotiating. We’ve been in sessions all day. We’re still here and we started at 9. PERC is here, and they’ve been here since Friday.”

At issue are classroom sizes, salary, and WSD’s historically high turnover rates.

“We are still bargaining,” said Dr. Mary Templeton, WSD Superintendent. “We continue to press forward. Everyone is working hard at both sides of the table. We want an agreement as soon as possible. The district and the association have worked hard to reach an understanding but, unfortunately, we were not able to come to an agreement today. We have been excited to offer the biggest raise Washougal teachers have ever received, which would bring our salary into competition with regional districts. We believe our proposal supports our well-deserving teachers, is fair and equitable and is something the Washougal community can sustain over time.”

WSD put forward a new salary proposal that increases the offer to a 16% increase in salary, plus TRI. WAE countered requesting a 25.6% increase. There is still approximately $1.5 million dollar gap between the two sides.

According to WSD, they were given $14.2 million by the state to pay teachers and they have used all of these funds for salaries. They have also agreed to add $600,000 more of local money in this compensation offer. By law, Washington school districts are required to have 180 days of school. School will start on the first planned school day after the strike ends. Days will likely need to be added into the calendar later in the year.

Tentative agreements have been reached on 12 items, resolving concerns the teachers raised around salary advancement rules, retirement stipends, personal leave buy back and cash out rules, as well as just cause language.

“Everyday we will be in negotiations, said Engebretson. “We will negotiate until we cannot. We want to go back to school. It depends on the district.”

So, what actually happened on Monday during negotiations?

“There was some movement, less than a percent on salary —on their part,” he said. “No class size change.”

Teachers

Washougal children at a recent rally.

WSD Answers Questions

Lester Brown, WSD Communications Director, provided guidance on what a strike means, and what are next steps.

1) What does the district do when the WAE announces a strike? What’s your process?

This is uncharted territory for all of us. We are focused on working to communicate with parents and staff about a potential work stoppage and its impacts on the start of school.

We will use automated phone calls, social media and our website, so families are aware of the need to plan for the impact.

We realize this is a huge inconvenience for families and we are optimistic that teachers and students will be back in classrooms as soon as possible.

2) How long does a strike have to go on until it starts affecting this year’s school schedule? Lacamas Magazine understand it’s like using up snow days.

The work schedule for our classified staff will not be impacted by the strike actions of the WAE. Teachers will work a 180-day contract, but will see an adjusted school schedule, based on this delay to the start of schools.

School will start on the first planned school day after the strike ends. Days will likely need to be added into the calendar later in the year much like snow days. If the strike lasts fewer than four days, the district does not anticipate needing to change the date for WHS graduation.

The district still intends to allow athletics and activities, covered under a different union contract, to continue as scheduled.

3) If a strike goes past 15 days, then classified staff won’t get paid, but will the teachers also not get paid?

The work schedule for our classified staff will not be impacted by the strike actions of the WAE. Teachers will work a 180-day contract, but will see an adjusted school schedule, based on this delay to the start of schools.

Our focus right now is still on resolving the remaining concerns the union has asked to talk about so we can come to agreement. We will be researching these more complex issues over the next few days to build understanding of the impact of a longer term strike.

4) In your opinion, is a strike legal? Citing RCW 41.56.120: “Right to strike not granted. Nothing contained in this chapter shall permit or grant any public employee the right to strike or refuse to perform his or her official duties.” The Attorney General’s Office said: “In Washington, state and local public employees do not have a legally protected right to strike. No such right existed at common law, and none has been granted by statute.” What is WSD’s opinion on this?

The legislature is responsible for law, but we are aware of the RCW 41.56.120. The district is working with legal counsel to understand this statue and the implications of it for the union.

5) Lacamas Magazine is hearing that oversized classrooms are a source of contention in these latest bargaining sessions. What is WSD’s position on classroom sizes?

The current teacher contract defines class sizes as “in overload” when the following numbers are reached or exceeded:
K-3: 25+
4-5: 28+
Middle and High School: 28+

In Spring 2018, WSD had a total of 60 elementary classroom teachers. Six of those, or 10%, were in overload. With 1,373 elementary students, it was the difference of 11 students that caused those overloads which were one to three students more in those rooms. During the same time frame, there were a total of 77 middle and high school teachers. Four of those had more than 140 students per day and were considered to be in overload.

The district works hard to avoid overloaded class sizes by managing the boundary process and building schedule, but sometimes classes above targeted sizes cannot be avoided.

When elementary teachers have classrooms at or above these targets, teachers have an option of hiring an additional paraeducator to assist in their classroom or accepting “overload pay” at the rate of $10 per extra student per day. For middle and high school it is $2 per student in overload.

Although WAE has stated that class size is a major point, they had been unwilling to talk about this issue for the first 11 bargaining sessions that spanned three months.

The facts are that 90% of Washougal classrooms are below state class size goals/targets. Those teachers who are in overload have the option of receiving additional resource in paraprofessional support or additional compensation of $10 per student per day as overload pay.

Another union issue was the use of classrooms that combine grade levels. The district had no combination or split classes last year, and there are none planned for this year.

“As far as class size, the district figures class size as an average,” said Engebretson. “That means they include music, P.E., library, and art teachers into the equation.  However, the actual students in one classroom can be more than than is ideal and that classroom is in overload.  Posting that the district has an average number of students per classroom is misleading to the community.”

Teachers

WAE teachers at a recently rally.

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