Teacher rallies continue at District 91 office as salary negotiations move forward

IDAHO FALLS – More than 100 teachers and students protested and rallied successful beforehand of nan District 91 administrative offices Monday.

This was nan 2nd protestation successful a week arsenic nan Board of Trustees hole for a nationalist executive convention to discuss coach salaries.

Negotiations past Wednesday made progress, but grounded to scope a solution betwixt nan administrative and nan Idaho Falls Education Association’s teams. After six full hours of backmost and forth, nan territory offered a 1.75% salary increase, while nan Idaho Falls Education Association’s negotiators countered pinch a 2.5% raise proposal.

“The package we bring earlier you correct now is nan limit of what I’m authorized to do by nan board,” Superintendent Karla LaOrange said.

RELATED | Teachers protestation extracurricular D91 aft net negotiations resume

Previously, nan territory had offered nary raise, while nan teachers requested a 5% net increase.

Negotiations will resume successful earnest Tuesday day betwixt nan 2 parties. It will beryllium nan 2 teams’ 20th gathering this schoolhouse year, LaOrange said.

“It’s a bully position for our members, and … for nan territory because it saves them successful immoderate bully places, and it doesn’t adhd a batch of costs successful immoderate places of concern,” said Idaho Falls Education Association Lead Negotiator Jake Snarr. “The truth that it’s 2.5% added on, but they besides get movement, adds to those raises.”

Both sides dream to scope a solution by Wednesday erstwhile nan district’s teachers are scheduled to ratify a decision.

“We made immoderate activity and advancement connected salary,” LaOrange said. “Movement is simply a bully thing. Then we’re moving to travel to an agreement.”

Teachers protestation pinch signs extracurricular of nan District 91 agency connected Monday. | David Pace EastIdahoNews.com

The teachers’ willingness to rally, activity signs and speak pinch Board of Trustee members and management connected Monday shows their committedness to nan cause, said Wendi Straub, an AP subject coach astatine Idaho Falls High School.

“I deliberation nan 2.5% is simply a immense discuss connected our part. It is beneath nan costs of surviving successful nan authorities of Idaho. We’re still taking a salary cut, and that’s nan champion we tin dream for tonight,” Straub said.

In summation to nan costs negotiations, nan 2 sides reached a tentative statement past Wednesday connected a $2,000 guidelines summation for co-curricular and extracurricular stipends – including increases for eSports, play and debate.

Snarr pointed retired it’s nan largest summation successful a while.

“The past (base summation was) $1,000, and that was immoderate years ago. That benignant of makes up for immoderate mislaid ground.”

They reached a tentative statement connected a $300 one-time costs successful November for full-time unit and $150 for part-time staff.

Additionally, administrators and teachers agreed to $150,000 successful activity stipends districtwide. This will let teachers to gain an further $300, $600 aliases $900 for further work.

The negotiations betwixt nan teachers’ relation and nan territory person been operating nether an interest-based bargaining exemplary for nan past 2 years.

LaOrange expressed restitution pinch nan advancement and milestones reached during Wednesday’s exchanges and discussion.

“I was disappointed that we weren’t capable to travel to a last statement (last Wednesday) night. But I americium optimistic because we made a batch of progress,” she said.

A family expresses their support for District 91 teachers successful nan negotiations process connected Monday. | David Pace EastIdahoNews.com