Stalemate continues

MAT-SU — Two days of negotiation ended without a resolution for the Mat-Su Borough School District and the union that represents its teachers.

Both of the district’s labor contracts — the teachers contract and a contract with support staff — expired months ago.

The support staff union, the Classified Employees Association, went to arbitration in the spring. Arbitration works a lot like a court case. Both sides’ lawyers present witnesses and evidence and submit briefs.

The Mat-Su Education Association presented its case Tuesday and wrapped up in the time allotted.

“The district wasn’t able to do the same on Wednesday,” said Jill Showman, the union’s president.

The next time the district and arbitrator are free to meet is Nov. 12, which is when the arbitration will resume. The arbiter then takes some time to deliberate before issuing a decision, which means teachers likely won’t have word on their contract until December.

“I’m concerned that it’s forcing teachers in the Mat-Su to continue to work under expired language,” Showman said. “We were hoping that we would have an answer back by Nov. 12 and such is not the case.”

The district has long held that it simply doesn’t have the money to concede anything to its employees. The arbiter in CEA’s case sided with the district, warning that any increase in payroll could push the district off a budgetary cliff and actually recommended the support staff accept a cut in its health care package. Teachers represented by MSEA have been working under an expired contract for more than a year.

Teachers say they aren’t asking for anything outlandish, just slight pay and benefit increases and to hold the line on hours during the day when teachers aren’t teaching. They say they have already conceded on the benefits, changing plans to save the district money.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.