Contract talks between the Greeley-Evans School District 6 teachers’ association and administrators have broken down, leaving both sides wondering where to go for a solution.
“I’m confident there is a settlement out there, and both sides have to compromise a little bit to get there,” said Greeley Education Association president Andi Lee.
A federal mediator left the city late last week after three days of talks without getting the two sides to reach an agreement. The main sticking points are salaries for teachers – the association claims teacher pay remains essentially frozen while administrators have received pay boosts – and more planning time for more instructors.
Superintendent Renae Dreier last year received a 6 percent pay increase to about $175,000 a year. Through mediation last year, teachers received a 2.25 percent base raise above normal steps.
Before the two sides reached an impasse in talks in May, the association had sought a 5 percent base raise above steps. The district offered a raise of 5.2 percent, combining a 3.75 percent step increase, the value of increased health premiums and retirement funds for teachers.
After mediation ended last week, the district said it was offering four proposals, including two scenarios for a two-year contract that would give raises of 12 percent to 13 percent.
This leaves Greeley 6 as the only school district in Colorado without a new teacher contract. Employee- management turmoil is not new to the 18,000-student district. Three times over the past four years, an impasse was declared in contract talks before a settlement was eventually reached.
The school board will meet within the next week or two to consider the next step, which might involve bringing in a new mediator.
A strike is highly unlikely, Lee said.
Bruce Broderius, president of the school board, said the district can go only so far in a time of declining enrollment and tight overall budgets.
“We do respect our teachers and value the work they do,” Broderius said last week, “but adding anything more than what we have already offered will put us in a financial crisis.”
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com
