Switzerland of Ohio contract negotiations underway
Teachers union says it’s ‘frustrated’ with board
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WOODSFIELD — The Switzerland of Ohio Local School District and Switzerland of Ohio Education Association are negotiating a new contract for the district's teachers.
Karissa Wooddell, association spokeswoman, said the teachers' contract expired on Aug. 31. There have been six negotiating sessions, but little movement toward reaching an agreement, she noted. To help the situation, a federal mediator has been brought in.
A mediation session is set for this week and another on Nov. 19. The union blames the board of education for a lack of movement on a new contract.
“Our members are frustrated at the board’s unwillingness to reach an agreement that supports what is best for our students. Our bargaining team has found themselves in a place where educating the board has to come before negotiating can take place. We will continue to bargain in good faith and make every effort to reach an agreement that is in the best interest of our students,” Wooddell said.
Switzerland Associate Superintendent Cyndi Brill on Tuesday released the following statement regarding the contract negotiations:
"The administration remains committed to the negotiations process and the communication channels between the administration and the bargaining unit. The administration has no comment outside of the negotiations room regarding details being worked upon. We look forward to the continuation of the negotiation process and anticipate a well-negotiated, positive resolution that will propel our school district to higher student performance in the near future," Brill said.
SOEA President Neil Ritchie said in a press release that the union has been waiting patiently.
"The mediator had hoped to get some momentum going by starting out with work on smaller issues. Unfortunately, the district’s team engaged in the same kind of bargaining we saw before impasse: painfully slow, tangential progress on secondary issues,” Ritchie said.
Wooddell explained what some of the union's sticking points are:
"The current workload teachers are facing has forced time to be divided between in school and remote learning students. The amount of quality attention for the students is being sacrificed. Our students deserve fair opportunities across all learning environments," she said. "During a pandemic, the board is attempting to limit our sick days and reduce our healthcare benefits. The health and safety of our students will be put at risk if teachers are required to come to school while sick."
She also said the teachers' wages should be raised to help retain them in the district and to help attract new teachers.
"SOEA members have gone 11 of the past 30 years without a raise and many more with a raise below the rate of inflation, resulting in a large incentive for many wonderful educators to seek employment elsewhere. Our students deserve a high-quality education delivered by experienced professionals," she said.
The union also wants the teacher evaluation system "brought into compliance with state law."
"There seems to be a disconnect for the board's team between their understanding of classroom conditions, the state laws, and the proposals that are being brought to the table. The board team does not understand the reality of the classroom. We are hopeful that the groundwork that has been laid through our earlier discussions will now allow SOEA and the board to move forward to substantive conversations and bargaining," Wooddell added.