Rutland Teachers' Union and School District Locked in Year-Long Contract Talks

Members of the Rutland Educators Association gathered outside the administrative offices of the Rutland City Public Schools on Tuesday night, urging the district to reach an agreement on a contract that remains under discussion.

The discussions have lasted one and a half years. Superintendent Bill Olson mentioned that it ought to have been resolved six months prior.

We prefer to complete this swiftly," he stated, "since you will be receiving your previous year's salary, which isn’t as advantageous.

The district and the union both suggest raising salaries relative to the current outmoded contract that educators are still adhering to. Teacher compensation is based on their extent of advanced education.

At present, the district suggests a 4.5% raise for the 24-25 academic year, whereas the teachers’ association advocates for a higher 6.9% increase. In terms of the following two years, the district has proposed a 4% hike for 26-27, but the union recommends a more substantial rise at 6.8%.

A third-party fact-finding report from April 8 ^th suggests raising salaries by 4.8% for those aged 24-25 and by 5% for those aged 26-27. As a result, the district warned that up to 18 teaching positions within the district faced potential elimination.

"They have to be notified, and that's per the Article 15, and it was under contract that we had to do that," Charlene Seward, a school board commissioner, said.

Nine of those positions were vacant according to the district, and they say their notification was a contractual obligation.

However, the educator’s association does not believe that this was the only reason. On April 29 ^th , they charged the district with unfair labor practices, accusing them of coercing teachers by threatening their positions.

“If it really came down to saying, 'We must RIF these individuals to resolve the agreement,' then clearly we did not reach an accord,” stated Sue Tanen, president of the Rutland Teachers Association. “It seemed more as though this notion was presented with the intention of steering us towards another path.”

The district is working on their response, but the school board chair said the claims about threats are false. Olsen said, the district works to support its' teachers.

"I believe the board genuinely cares for every employee within the district. They form a highly considerate and supportive team consisting of 11 individuals," he stated.

On Monday, representatives from both the school board commission and the union convened to negotiate the contract but failed to reach an agreement. The timing of the subsequent mediation remains uncertain.

READ MORE: The teachers' union in Rutland and the local school district continue to negotiate a contract more than 18 months since discussions began.

CHECK OUT WPTZ: Get the latest Plattsburgh and Burlington news of the day. See the stories making headlines, and get the latest weather report online, anytime.