USD 437 teachers ratify contract

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Aug 10, 2002 by Vincent Brydon Capital-Journal

By Vincent Brydon

The Capital-Journal

Teachers at Auburn-Washburn Unified School District 437 might still begin the 2002-2003 academic year next week with a new contract.

A contract that calls for a 2.5 percent increase in the amount of money the district spends on teacher salaries was ratified by the teachers on Thursday, district officials and leaders of the Auburn- Washburn Education Association announced during a special meeting Friday at Washburn Rural Middle School, S.W. 61st.

"We're pleased to be entering the school year with a ratified contract and we appreciate the union working with us in these difficult financial times," school board president Keith Love said.

In an effort to attract more teachers, district officials have eliminated the first two levels of the district's salary schedule in the tentative contract.

The move will allow district officials to boost the starting salary for a new teacher to $26,428 from $25,910.

Auburn-Washburn teachers rejected the board's initial proposal on Aug. 1.

That proposal, which also included an average salary increase of 2.5 percent, called for the elimination of the salary schedule's first four steps.

Even though a tentative agreement has been reached, union spokeswoman Annie Tietze said, negotiation won't stop.

"We're looking forward to continue working with the board this year, knowing that next year will be equally difficult so far as state-wide funding is concerned,"she said.

Tietze was referring to state funding problems that compelled the 2001 Legislature to increase funding to schools by only $20 per pupil, to $3,890 from $3,870.

Superintendent Brenda Dietrich, who is beginning her second year with the district, said exploring interest-based bargaining is one method Auburn-Washburn may employ to facilitate the negotiations' process.

"Both parties identify a problem and then work together to come to a solution," Dietrich said of interest-based bargaining.

Traditionally, negotiations are conducted through an adversary- based bargaining approach.

Auburn-Washburn is the last of Shawnee County's five school districts to reach a tentative agreement and the third district to have its teachers ratify the tentative agreement.

Auburn-Washburn board members are expected to approved the contract during their Aug. 19 meeting at Shuler Education Center, 5928 S.W. 53rd.

Once a district's teachers ratify a contract, it must be approved by a school board before becoming official.

Tentative contract agreements for teachers in Shawnee Heights Unified School District 450 and Topeka Unified School District 501 are awaiting teacher ratification and board approval.

Silver Lake Unified School District 372 and Seaman Unified School District 345 teachers and board members approved contracts earlier this summer.

Vincent Brydon can be reached at

(785) 295-1285 or vbrydon@cjonline.com.