The Ketchikan School Board heard a brief update Wednesday about ongoing contract negotiations with the Ketchikan Education Association.
Superintendent Robert Boyle says there hasn’t been any progress. In fact, he says, they haven’t been able to establish ground rules.
The board voted unanimously to approve a new $20,000 contract with Victor Four Labor Relations, and Boyle said that negotiator’s first task will be getting ground rules in place, “as we’ve been unable to agree on how to meet to agree.”
The teachers’ contract expired last July. Board Member Diane Gubatayao asked when the lack of an agreement becomes critical for budget purposes.
Boyle said it already has.
“When we went into the new year, it becomes problematic on how negotiations proceed, simply because of W-2 forms,” he said. “Every delay adds to the complexity of being able to negotiate well.”
Also Wednesday, the board approved the draft calendar for next school year in first reading. The calendar will come back to the board for another vote before it is officially adopted.
Boyle encouraged members of the public to provide input. Below is a PDF of the proposed calendar.
