Blue Ridge teachers set strike date

BY STACI WILSON

Blue Ridge teachers plan to strike on March 29 if an agreement on a new contract is not reached.

The Blue Ridge Education Association (BREA) notified the district on Friday, Feb. 19. The teachers’ union has been working without a contract for over two years.

“We have always tried to find common ground with the District with respect to reaching a new contract. Unfortunately, the school board continues to go backwards with their contract proposals. In fact, their proposals are very regressive and counterproductive,” said Jim Maria, PSEA Representative.

Maria said, “We hope it does not come to a crisis, but we are at a tipping-point in contract negotiations. All of our contract proposals have been fair and reasonable, so we hope we can find middle ground prior to March 29. We hope they will meet with us sooner rather than later to move forward with productive contract negotiations. ”

Following the BREA announcement, Blue Ridge Board President issued a letter stating the board was “saddened and shocked” the union would call a strike during “productive, ongoing negotiations.”

Lewis said the board has reached out to the union and both formal and informal negotiation meetings had been held since January.

He also said the board would attempt to resolve the contract dispute by the March 29 strike date but took issue with Maria’s statement that the board’s proposals were going backwards.

“At no time, has the Blue Ridge School Board gone backwards, nor have we been regressive with our proposals. To the contrary, with each ensuing proposal, the Board has increased our salary offer and has decreased our healthcare contribution proposals,” the statement reads.

The board also outlined other district financial and budget obligations stating: “We plan on continuing to remain fiscally prudent by only offering proposals to the teachers based upon what the Blue Ridge School District can afford.

In the latest proposal, the district offered teachers salary increases ranging from 1.7 percent to 2.9 percent in the last year of their contract, and offered a flat $250 for the 2014-15 school term.

After starting with an 18 percent health care contribution, the district’s latest offer keeps the contribution rate at its current 10 percent for all the years of the contract; but carries a $100/$300 deductible. Currently, there is no deductible.

“In our area it would be difficult to find community members who are receiving such favorable salary increases every year from their own jobs, or finding a community member who has not seen their healthcare increase once in five years, or have a deductible at the $100/$300 deductible offered to the teachers.”

Contract proposals from both the board and BREA are posted on the district website.

The Blue Ridge School Board’s next meeting will be held Monday, Feb. 29, at 6:30 p.m. in the elementary school cafeteria.