“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.
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, Ross Schools Superintendent William Rice said “we look forward to continuing the bargaining process with the REA, while seeking a three-year contract,” but declined further comment.
According to a statement from officials at the Ohio Education Association (OEA), which is the state organization representing a majority of Ohio’s public school teachers, 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.
Writer Michael D. Clark contributed to this report.
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