Strike a last option for schools

MAT-SU -- Should a teacher strike occur in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, it would be after all other plausible options have been exhausted, said both the director of Human Resources and Labor Negotiations Paula Harrison and Matanuska-Susitna Employee Association president Barbara Morris.

"Our goal is to avert a strike," Morris said. "It is the last option in a long chain of events that have to occur."

Harrison agreed.

"We're very hopeful that we will get this settled [before a strike]," Harrison said.

While there is no clear answer on how the teachers and district will come to an agreement, there are a number of steps and procedures that will be taken over the next couple of months, possibly bringing a compromise that will be acceptable for both sides.

The next step in the teacher contract negotiations is arbitration; an outside professional arbitrator is scheduled to come to the district in November, acting as a quasi-judge that will listen to both sides' arguments. Once the arbitrator has heard each side weigh in, he or she will write up a report outlining how the negotiation agreement should be handled. This can take four to six weeks, and will probably not be available until after the first of the year. Once the report is available to both sides, they must meet at least once to discuss the options. If, at that point, MSEA does not feel the negotiation agreement presented is adequate, it can legally decide to strike, after a strike vote by teachers and after giving the district a 72-hour notice of a strike.

If a strike does occur, the district has decided to shut down schools.

"We will close schools, we will give parents notice when we get notice," Harrison said. "All days will be made up except teacher work days, either during spring break or into the summer."

When asked about keeping the schools open with plans for large group activities, Harrison said, "We just don't believe we can have that great of student learning, with AYP and No Child Left Behind, every day has to be a learning day."

Both Harrison and Morris agree that talk of strike details is a little premature; Morris suggests that parents keep the possibility in the back of their heads, but not to discuss it in detail with their children.

"As adults we make decisions what to share with our kids. I think now is not the time to talk about a strike with them. Why create anxiety for kids that's not necessary? I just don't think kids need that hovering," Morris said. "If we get close to a strike, we will work closely with the parents and the students in the classroom."

Some PTA members have expressed worry that a possible strike could occur during February, a time when students are taking the high school qualification exam. Harrison said for parents not to worry, if a strike occurred during that time, the district would figure out a way for those students to take the exam at another time.

"I'm confident that we could work that out with the state," Harrison said.