Centralia School Board rejects proposal to reopen teacher contracts

The Centralia School Board rejected a proposal to reopen the collective bargaining agreement with its teachers union last week, even in the midst of budget troubles.

“We have demonstrated evidence that we are in serious financial difficulty, with over $2 million deficit next year,” said Centralia School Board vice president Jami Lund. “Primarily this is because of the over commitments made in bargaining, and our salary obligations are greater than the provision from the state.”

Lund proposed a resolution that the district request to reopen contract negotiations with the teachers union, Centralia Education Association. Lund brought the resolution before the school board for discussion at a special board meeting and study session Wednesday evening. The item also was on the agenda for the board to take action, but no one seconded the motion to approve the resolution.

“Really the decision isn’t between us and the teachers yet, it’s just do these five people think this is a viable approach to take to address some of our budget problems,” Lund said. “… I’m a little disappointed because, honestly, we are not saying whether the union should agree with us, we are saying ‘Do we believe that this is something we ought to try?’ and it sounds like (the answer is no).”

Last month, Centralia School District Superintendent Mark Davalos asked the board to sign a resolution acknowledging projections for the 2019-20 budget. According to the resolution, the beginning fund balance is projected at $4,372,556, while the projected ending fund balance is $1,352,900.

At the time, Davalos said the district would need to look at possible staff reductions in late April. The legislature will remain in session until then and it is unclear how, or if, funding will change for school districts.

As a result of the McCleary case – in which the Supreme Court ruled the legislature was not adequately funding K-12 basic education – school districts received an increase of funding from the state last year.

School districts across Washington provided teachers with raises. The Washington Education Association reported that the Centralia School District gave Centralia teachers a 24 percent raise.

At the same time, the state capped how much school districts can collect from local levy dollars and added restrictions for how districts can use that money.

“I know how the vote went on adopting a 24 percent contract raise in the first place,” Lund said. “I was the only no vote on that. … Reopening that is unnerving, obviously, and of course the possibility of agitation among the employees is always a negative that people would rather avoid. But I think we owe it to the community to try because we are harming service to families and we may not have to do that.”

The Centralia School Board spent less than two minutes discussing the resolution.

“I would say I have heard zero interest from any staff members in reopening that, so that is what it is,” said board member Lori Fast. “… Your supposition that staff would be interested in that – that is nothing that I have personally heard in any conversations with any of our staff members.”

This story was originally published April 16, 2019 at 12:58 PM.