An expiring teacher contract — and even the possibility of an eventual strike — has created uncertainty for the start of the school year at Dallas.
The Dallas Education Association voted Monday to authorize a strike amid tense contract talks. The first day of school for students was Tuesday and the teachers’ contract expires Aug. 31.
Mark McDade, a Dallas Education Association labor representative, confirmed the strike authorization, calling the vote “all but unanimous,” noting the union has no current plans to set a strike date.
Dallas school board President Larry Schuler said Tuesday he and his colleagues were preparing for further negotiations. Superintendent Thomas Duffy did not respond to request for comment as of Tuesday afternoon.
“We’re progressing,” Schuler said. “We’re working diligently to solve the issue and hopefully we can come to some agreement.”
McDade said the teachers union has made a generous proposal that was rejected. He said the offer would keep wages lower than the level for which Dallas has budgeted this school year and that the union conceded on healthcare networks and policy to save the district at least $350,000 annually.
“We were very confident that that would be received well,” McDade said. “Unfortunately, the board didn’t agree to those. So, it didn’t go well.”
McDade said the teachers have asked for certain guaranteed limits on classroom sizes in exchange for concessions on wages and healthcare. He said faculty attrition — leaving vacant positions unfilled to cut costs — was poised to increase student-to-teacher ratios, which he called unacceptable.
Source: citizensvoice.com
