LOWER LAKE ? The California Teachers Association has submitted a request to the Public Employee Relations Board for a ruling whether the Konocti Educators Association and the Konocti Unified School District are at an impasse in negotiations.
“The paperwork was submitted yesterday (Tuesday),” said Reed Leiferman, the KEA”s chief negotiator. “We need to hear from PERB, which will rule whether or not we are at an impasse.”
Leiferman said the KEA”s “Request for Impasse Determination/Appointment of Mediator” form was filed with the regional CTA office in Ukiah, which then brought the request before PERB on KEA”s behalf.
KEA President John Lee also cited the possible impasse during his scheduled report before the KUSD Board of Trustees on Wednesday, Dec. 5.
He instructed educators present, who wore matching KEA-logo T-shirts, to demonstrate how they felt about negotiations reaching an impasse. The majority got up and left the room.
“Primarily, the issue is salary,” Lee said when asked about issues that remain in dispute among the negotiating teams. “That is what the negotiating teams were discussing.”
The official document, filed by CTA representative Steve Savage, indicates that other issues include “Funding of BTSA,” “Charter School” and “Masters Stipend.” The following narrative also appears under “Statement of Facts:”
“The district and KEA negotiations have met several times, each time the KEA representatives have asked to negotiate salary. Each time the district has put off the discussion. Finally, the district came to the table with a proposal on November 16. The proposal included placing benefits on the salary schedule, which the KEA negotiators rejected. Instead of continuing to bargain, the district team said they would have to ?take time to rethink the proposal without benefits on the salary schedule.” A bargaining session was scheduled for December 4.
“The district”s consultant had a family emergency and could not make the December 4 meeting, and the district wanted to cancel the session. The KEA team wanted to meet and negotiate salary. They were told, ?The district has nothing new to offer you.” The district unilaterally cancelled negotiations and KEA unilaterally declared impasse.”
Describing what happens next, Lee explained, “A mediator will meet with both sides, listen to both points of view and determine whether or not we are at impasse. If the mediator determines that we are truly at impasse, I believe the next step will be fact-finding.”
Negotiations have taken place since October regarding a contract between KEA and KUSD. Collective-bargaining reopeners was the subject of a public hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 3.
Local educators have been observed making allegations as far back as Thursday, Sept. 6, that KUSD does not “respect” its teachers. Before a town hall meeting with district consultant Monty Roberts, educators were flagging down motorists on Dam Road Extension at S. Center Drive near the Oak Hill Middle School campus.
The educators distributed leaflets that urged contacting members of the school board and demanding that they respect district teachers.
During the Oct. 3 public hearing for collective bargaining reopeners, KEA members also made various allegations that consisted of anonymous written statements of complaint.
District staff recently compiled signed responses to the anonymous complaints that can be downloaded as a PDF from Konocti”s “Agendas Online,” https://konocti.csbaagendaonline.net/. The document came before the school board for review on Wednesday, Nov. 7. Acrobat Reader software, available free from www.Adobe.com, is needed to view the document.
Contact Cynthia Parkhill at cparkhill@clearlakeobserver.com.
