OGDEN -- The Ogden School District and the Utah Education Association said Friday they have reached an impasse over the teacher contract to cover the coming school year. Wages are the sticking point.
The current offer doesn't include any raises, either for the cost of living or for step increases as teachers gain seniority or experience.
The two entities will now go to a mediator appointed by the state school superintendent.
"We're trying to work with each other," said Doug Stephens, president of the Ogden Education Association. "We just felt strongly we needed to hold strong for our younger teachers."
The Ogden School District sent out a news release Friday afternoon saying it had made an offer to the association that includes no increase in taxes, no increase in class size, no reduction of school year, no reduction of personnel, no cuts in student programs, and protection of retirement and health insurance benefits.
However, it contains no wage increases either for steps -- which are wage hikes within a particular wage scale -- or cost-of- living increases.
District Superintendent Noel Zabriskie said the district is facing a $2.5 million, or 5.1 percent, reduction of its state revenues for the 2010-11 school year.
"There's no cost-of- living (increase), and because of the shortfall in funding, we're not able to fund steps," he said Friday afternoon. "We were not able to fund steps last year either. There was a one-time stipend, but it did not constitute steps."
This offer does not even include the stipend, which Stephens calls a "Christmas bonus."
Zabriskie said he did not know what the district's property tax revenue would be this year, but said it is the state's funding reduction that has caused the most problems.
The news release from the district says, "Utah legislative leadership has warned that the school district should be prepared for deeper cuts due to a 'funding cliff' that appears to be on the horizon."
Zabriskie said the district has to prepare for such an eventuality.
Stephens said he is concerned about the district's continued ability to recruit and keep new teachers.
"The UEA has asked all of the locals to work hard to try to get steps," he said.
"A lot of districts gave up steps last year and they felt like that was detrimental to the younger teachers, and they asked us to work hard toward getting steps this year.
"That's the major disagreement."
Stephens said he is hopeful that Utah's share of funds from a bill just signed by President Barack Obama to provide $29 billion to education will help.
"The Ogden district might get up to $2 million from the federal government, new stimulus money President Obama just signed, and one of the things it's designed for is to help retain teachers and recruit new teachers," Stephens said.
Zabriskie said the impasse will have no effect on the start of school.
Douglas said both sides want to reach an agreement.
"This is not unusual," he said Friday afternoon. "We had a mediator come in last year, and she helped us a great deal and we came to terms. Hopefully, we can do the same thing this year."
Comments