Negotiations continue as Norton teachers contract expires

PHOTO BY EMILY CANNING-DEAN | BGNN

NCTA President Amber Wheatley addressed the school board to share concerns about contract negotiations.

 

By EMILY CANNING-DEAN

BGNN staff writer

NORTON  The Norton Classroom Teachers Association’s most recent three-year contract officially expired June 30, but the NCTA and the Norton Board of Education have yet to come to an agreement on a new contract.

The next bargaining session between the two bodies is scheduled for July 12.

Rod Rowell, a teacher who has been part of the district for 28 years, spoke during a recent board of education meeting and said union members don’t feel like they are getting much respect from the board of education.

“The board outright did not want to discuss the reasonable proposal our team presented after doing research and examining the contracts of other districts,” he said. “They delayed forwarding our proposal to their attorney and they left prematurely during our last negotiation session.”

Rowell said he was also not happy to hear the Norton district referred to as a “stepping stone” where teachers can gain experience then move on to a district where there is better pay.

“Our teachers deserve to be proud to be here and we deserve what our veteran staff can provide,” he said.

Board President Jennifer Bennett agreed that the biggest issue remaining is the teacher salary and salary schedule.

“The Norton Board of Education has great respect and appreciation for our teachers and wants to pay teachers as much as we can reasonably afford,” she said. “However, the board will not agree to teacher salary increases that would require the board to cut programs, lay off teachers or require dramatic tax increases for our citizens to pay for the increases.”

Amber Wheatley, president of the NCTA, said during a recent board meeting, that during the most recent bargaining session, the board’s bargaining team asked for a caucus to discuss the NCTA’s most recent counter proposal. Members of the NCTA’s bargaining team later found out that the board’s team left the venue for the evening without notifying anyone on the NCTA’s team.

“I understand it was late, but how are we expected to work together toward a fair contract if we can even get the respect of letting our team know you were gone for the evening,” she said.

Wheatley added that while it is OK if the board does not agree with the NCTA’s proposal, it is imperative to meet in the middle when it comes to salary for teachers.

“As an educator, I have to modify my lesson plans to meet the needs of the kids,” she said. “If I was still using the same lesson plans as I was when I was hired 15 years ago, that would not be beneficial to my students. We need to modify the contract, specifically the salary scheduled to meet the needs of the employees at this time and not from years ago.”

According to a press release from Norton City Schools, the NCTA will continue to operate off the terms and conditions of the expired agreement until a new agreement can be reached.

“The board remains committed to achieving an agreement that is responsible and fair to the teachers and the Norton Schools Community,” Bennett said. “However, it is important to note that the reason the agreement has not yet been reached is that the teachers’ financial expectations exceed what the board can responsibly do.”