Wichita teachers began voting Thursday on a proposed contract, more than three weeks after the district and union announced a tentative deal.
The proposed contract includes a 1.5% raise across the board. There is additional pay for teachers who cannot progress further on the district’s payscale, which is based on each teacher’s level of education and years of experience.
Katie Laske, president of United Teachers of Wichita, said the union had been waiting on the district to finalize language in the deal before teachers could vote on it.
“We did receive some language and went back and forth,” she said. “There were a few things that were missing and a few misunderstandings.”
Due to the delay, teachers’ first checks could potentially be based on last year’s contract. In that case, they would receive back pay once a contract is ratified.
The proposed contract is the result of federal mediation, after the district and union declared an impasse in their negotiations.
The union’s board of directors did not endorse the proposal, voting to make no recommendation to teachers. But an assembly of building representatives ultimately voted to recommend that teachers pass the deal.
The proposal would combine personal and family medical leave, giving teachers more flexibility to take time off based on their situation. Teachers would also not see an increase to their health insurance costs, which Laske described as a win.
“If you look across the state, every school district is really hit hard with insurance costs,” she said. “And we know that some teachers across the state are taking home less money this year because of insurance increases.”
Still, Laske said teachers had hoped to see the district offer more individual planning time, which she said has been a central request for several years. Many teachers take work like grading and lesson plans home, working outside of their contract hours.
In protest, the union is planning a sit-in demonstration at the Wichita Board of Education meeting on Monday. It is inviting Wichita teachers to bring work they usually do at home to complete during the meeting.
“So even though [building representatives in the union] are encouraging a ‘yes’ vote on this contract, we want to make it very clear to the district, the BOE, and just the community that our teachers still have an immense amount of work that they are taking home,” Laske said.
As part of the process, the Wichita Board of Education will also have to vote on the contract. The board will hold a special meeting on Friday, with an executive session to discuss negotiations.
It’s not clear if they will take any action related to the contract after the executive session.
The union began sending out the contract for a vote at noon Thursday. Teachers should check their email inboxes for the poll.
At least half of the bargaining unit, plus one vote, is required to either reject or approve the contract. The initial voting period will run through 5 p.m. on Monday, but the union will extend the timeframe if it has not received enough votes by then.
