CWD teachers, trustees consider contract package

After three-years of conflict, the Cottonwood Union School District and the Cottonwood Teachers Association took a major step toward reconciliation.

Cottonwood teachers voted last week to accept a negotiated salary contract that dates back to the original disputed contracted of the 2006-2007 school year, and runs through the 2009-2010 school year.

According to the district's negotiator Mike Stuart, it's not yet a done deal. The district will have to provide evidence to the county that they the financial ability to carry the contract out. Then the board will have the final ratification.

The districts interim-superintendent Robert Lowden said the district is currently working on the numbers, and sending them to the county for review.

"If they don't like some numbers, we'll keep working on it. Hopefully it will work out in the long run," Lowden said. "I'm pretty confident that it will."

Lowden said the tentatively agreed upon contract includes a 3.4 percent salary increase for the 2006-2007 school year for all teachers in steps 1 through 12. Teachers would receive this pay retroactive to July 1, 2006.

The contract includes another 3.6 percent increase beginning in January of 2008 for teachers in all steps, and will include retroactive pay. There are no salary increases for the 2009-2010 school year, but the district is going to give each unit member $700 one time only to help with insurance premiums.

The contract includes other minor language changes. Also, if the contract is ratified, court cases for the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 school years will be withdrawn and any unresolved issues will be worked on, Lowden said.

Stuart, the district's negotiator, said he included a monthly communication meeting in the contract that he hopes will help mend the relationship between teachers and the district's board members and administration. The meeting would be an opportunity to discuss any current issues that arise.

"It's a way to formalize some communication in the district so things don't get bigger than they should be," Stuart said.

"It really leads to good relationships and shows that you value the employees," he said.

Cottonwood Teachers Association negotiator Susan Boilon stated they are cautiously optimistic that the contract will be ratified by the district's board.

"The teachers unanimously voted to ratify the agreement, realizing that it will be the best we will get in the declining economy, and also the fact that the school board already spent over $200,000 on lawyers so some of the money is gone," Boilon stated.

"The teachers will receive less than all the other employees by 1.7 percent which is unfortunately significant," Boilon stated. But language about personal leave, and salary increases that include teachers in all steps made the contract agreeable, she wrote in an email.

"All in all, it is time to move on if the agreement gets ratified by the school board," Boilon continued.

Interim Superintendent Lowden said the district is ready for the contract disputes to come to an end as well.

"We are both excited to be coming to a close on this," he said "The economic times make it difficult for all school districts, but hopefully it is a positive step that we are moving forward on this."