{"id":16045,"date":"2016-02-24T23:02:02","date_gmt":"2016-02-24T23:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/independentweekender.com\/?p=16045"},"modified":"2016-02-24T23:03:26","modified_gmt":"2016-02-24T23:03:26","slug":"blue-ridge-teachers-set-strike-date","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenstreetdata.com\/PS\/2016\/02\/24\/blue-ridge-teachers-set-strike-date\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Ridge teachers set strike date"},"content":{"rendered":"

BY STACI WILSON<\/strong><\/p>\n

Blue Ridge teachers plan to strike on March 29 if an agreement on a new contract is not reached.<\/p>\n

The Blue Ridge Education Association (BREA) notified the district on Friday, Feb. 19. The teachers\u2019 union has been working without a contract for over two years.<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

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. ”<\/p>\n

Following the BREA announcement, Blue Ridge Board President issued a letter stating the board was \u201csaddened and shocked\u201d the union would call a strike during \u201cproductive, ongoing negotiations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lewis said the board has reached out to the union and both formal and informal negotiation meetings had been held since January.<\/p>\n

He also said the board would attempt to resolve the contract dispute by the March 29 strike date but took issue with Maria\u2019s statement that the board\u2019s proposals were going backwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt 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,\u201d the statement reads.<\/p>\n

The board also outlined other district financial and budget obligations stating: \u201cWe plan on continuing to remain fiscally prudent by only offering proposals to the teachers based upon what the Blue Ridge School District can afford.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

After starting with an 18 percent health care contribution, the district\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Contract proposals from both the board and BREA are posted on the district website.<\/p>\n

The Blue Ridge School Board\u2019s next meeting will be held Monday, Feb. 29, at 6:30 p.m. in the elementary school cafeteria.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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