WESTLAND, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — Wayne-Westland Community School District teachers are still working without a contract as negotiations between the district and the teachers union continue.
Negotiations have been going on since March, and even when the two sides met on Monday, they still could not reach an agreement as the clock approached 10 p.m. The clock is ticking to make some progress before winter break.
The last time teachers in this district were without a new contract for so long, they went on strike in 2008. Because no additional negotiation dates have been set after Thursday, they hope to avoid a repeat of history.
Tonya Karpinski, director of MEA UniServ for the Wayne-Westland Community School District, says it all comes down to pay.
“We don’t feel like we’re that far apart; unfortunately, we really haven’t seen any movement. The term we use a lot is ability to pay versus willingness to pay,” she said.
Karpinski says those options exist. He claims the district’s general fund balance is at an all-time high, but teachers are choosing to leave the district after five months on the job without a new contract.
“We have staff who say, ‘I can’t keep doing this,’ so they retire in December, or they take other jobs in other districts because they can’t keep waiting for that extra compensation,” Karpinski said.
Teachers are still working under their old contract, which expired in August. Their wages remain the same, while district insurance rates and inflation continue to grow.
“The new insurance rates will mean a huge increase from January 1, with no steps and no financial improvement,” Karpinski said.
The school district shared a statement saying, “Wayne Westland Community Schools is committed to being fiscally sound while creating an environment where our students and staff can thrive…The district is committed to this process and to working with our teachers union for a mutually beneficial contract agreement.”
Jack Springgate
