ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The Anchorage School District and the union representing its educators are planning to continue negotiations for a contract agreement.
Two days of negotiations with the help of federal mediators are scheduled to begin Tuesday, the Anchorage Daily News reported Sunday.
The district and the Anchorage Education Association, which represents about 3,300 members, have been trying to reach a contract agreement since April. The groups agreed to bring in mediators after negotiations stalled in September.
The union’s contract expired in June though its members continue to work under the same terms. Under that agreement, a teacher’s salary starts at $48,886 and tops out at $89,982 for a teacher with doctoral degrees, maximum college credits and 20 years’ experience.
The union is seeking a 3 percent raise to base pay for this school year and next, and a 3.5 percent raise in 2020-21. The school district has proposed no increase for the current school year, a 0.75 percent increase next year and a 1.5 percent increase in 2020-21.
The district and union are also at odds over health benefits and items of contract language.
If a contract agreement isn’t reached this week, the groups can either go back to bargaining or go to advisory arbitration. Under arbitration, a third-party decides what the contract should look like after both sides present their best offers. If arbitration fails, the union could decide to strike.
“The best strike is the one you never have,” said Tom Klaameyer, president of the union. “We’re hoping mediation yields an agreement. That’s just better for the district, it’s better for employees, it’s better for communities.”
School Board President Starr Marsett said both groups are optimistic that a tentative agreement can be reached this week.
“We want as much as anyone else to settle this contract,” Marsett said. “Teachers - we want them to be happy. We want to move forward. We definitely want a three-year contract.”
___
Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.