EAST PALESTINE Teachers seek more talks

By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
EAST PALESTINE -- Teachers want school officials to spend more time at the negotiating table and less time discussing the contract talks in public, teachers union spokesman Don Carson said this morning.
Carson said a press release issued Thursday by the board in which Superintendent Jeff Richardson outlined some of the board's proposals for health insurance is in his opinion "an unfortunate unethical practice by the board."
He said teachers are continuing the practice of not discussing contract specifics away from the bargaining table. He said the union and the board would have reached an agreement months ago if school officials did more negotiating behind closed doors.
The teachers' previous contract expired June 30. The union issued a strike notice effective 5 a.m. Oct. 21 if an agreement is not reached.
What's scheduled
Union and board negotiators will meet again with a federal mediator at 5 p.m. Tuesday.Richardson said in the press release that at Tuesday's session it is the union's turn to present a proposal to the board.
"I just hope it is more realistic than the last proposal we received from them," he said.
"In either case, the board team will work hard to reach an agreement with the teachers that is fair to them and still maintains the district's financial integrity.
"I am also hopeful that the parties can build off the progress that I believe was made during the last negotiations session [Oct. 3]."
Carson said a parents' group plans to show support for the teachers at tonight's varsity football game.
He said the teachers canceled plans for informational picketing today because "We got our point across Wednesday."
Carson said the teachers picketed Wednesday to encourage the public to attend school board meetings and be informed about district operations.
Negotiations began May 8 and continued until an impasse was declared June 20.
Both parties have met about five times with a mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
The Oct. 3 session ended after about five hours with no agreement reached.
Under terms of the old contract, teachers' salaries for 183 days in the classroom range from $25,021 to $50,043.