The Idaho Falls Education Association has been in contract negotiations with the district for the third year in a row, with little to show for it. The union’s lead negotiator, Meggan Stansbury, says teachers are afraid to speak up due to fear of retribution from leadership.

Negotiations Break Down

Negotiations between the union and district have broken down and gone to mediation for the third year in a row, with over 100 hours of negotiation and mediation time. The district’s superintendent, Karla LaOrange, says having a contract in place before mid-June is a sign of progress, but the union disputes this, saying that the district’s initial offers have changed little.

The district has hired a lawyer, Amy White, to represent them in negotiations, at a cost of $210 per hour. The district has paid her $33,600 across seven invoices, plus $1,782 for mileage reimbursement. The union’s negotiating team, on the other hand, is made up of volunteers.

Mediation

Mediation was required again this year, with the parties meeting for nine hours. The union’s lead negotiator, Stansbury, says that the mediation was frustrating and added a significant amount of time to the process, with little to show for it. The district’s lawyer, White, told the union that there was no more money, citing flat state funding and increasing insurance costs.

The agreement provides no increases to base salary, but does allow for movement on the career ladder and for years served. The average salary for teachers will increase by 2.65% due to this movement, according to LaOrange.

Impact on Teachers

The lack of progress in negotiations has taken a toll on teacher morale, with some teachers leaving the district due to the uncertainty and lack of financial gains. Stansbury, the union’s lead negotiator, has resigned and will not be returning to the district next year, citing the board and superintendent as the reason for her departure.

Original reporting: Idaho Education News — read the source article.