“The Board of Education is choosing a tactic that seeks to intimidate REA members into accepting a contract by suggesting an artificial, self-imposed deadline,” states the news release.
“Our students deserve supported career-minded educators who can in turn support them in positive, welcoming learning environments. That can only occur when this Board and administration demonstrates that they respect, hear, and support the educators of this community, starting with the REA bargaining team with whom our members proudly stand,” REA Spokesperson Amy Brossart said.
But Ross Superintendent William Rice released a statement from the Ross school board disputing the REA’s contention.
“Our teachers now are faced with a very important decision. The board had reliable information that the board’s proposal was not being accurately portrayed and shared with the REA membership,” read the Ross Board of Education statement.
“Our teachers deserve to hear the facts and the board provided staff with details of its proposal to ensure that all teachers are aware of the terms of the board’s offer, as well as the impact on each teacher’s career and retirement earnings.”
“The Ross Local School District Board of Education provided a proposal to the Ross Education Association teaching staff that will allow for substantial salary growth in future years while protecting the district’s financial resources. The board believes that the proposal benefits all teachers at Ross Local Schools and substantially increases teachers’ lifetime earnings throughout their career and retirement.”
“The board remains focused on reaching a fair and equitable agreement with the teachers and looks forward to continuing the negotiation process.”
Last week, more than 100 Ross teachers and their supporters rallied in front of the district’s central office as labor contract negotiations continued inside the building.
Neither side in the contract talks are speaking publicly about specific areas of contention, but Brossart — who is not a member of the union’s negotiating team — said some issues concern the lack of salary increases for long-time teachers.
“Our entry salary for new teachers is not horrible … but once our teachers progress … that is where we start to fail and that’s what we are really worried about. We are worried about the retention of our teachers,” said Brossart.
Also last week, Rice said “we look forward to continuing the bargaining process with the REA, while seeking a three-year contract,” but declined further comment at that time.
According to a statement from REA officials, the months-long contract talks between Ross district officials and district teachers have seen classrooms instructors working with no new contract since the current employment agreement was extended beyond its expiration date on Sept. 1.
For more than a decade, the largely rural Ross Schools have earned the top overall academic rating among all Butler County school districts on the state’s annual report card and Ross High School is regularly rated as one of the top performers in southwest Ohio and statewide.