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North Wasco teachers and support staff unions press board for meaningful pay raises during bargaining kickoff
Summary
Leaders of the district’s teachers’ and classified employee unions told the board they have begun bargaining and will pursue pay increases to address inflation, recruitment and retention, and added responsibilities borne by staff.
Representatives from the district’s bargaining units told the board Thursday they intend to pursue meaningful pay increases during current contract negotiations to respond to inflation, rising cost of living, and regional salary disparities.
Sonia Schatz, president of the Northwest Education Support Professionals and a media assistant at Colonel Wright, and Jody Ketchem, president of D21EA and a physical education teacher at Colonel Wright, presented a joint report on bargaining priorities. They said classified staff and licensed teachers face increased workloads, higher housing and health-care costs, and competition from neighboring districts and the private sector.
Union leaders proposed a set of possible solutions including annual salary increases tied to inflation, retention bonuses for tenured staff, higher starting pay to remain competitive, and stipends for extra duties. "We want the school board to know that we will be pursuing meaningful pay raises for our district's teachers and ESPs," Ketchem said. They asked the board to prioritize compensation in upcoming budget discussions and offered to collaborate on solutions.
Board members thanked the union representatives and acknowledged bargaining has begun; no formal proposals or board commitments were recorded in open session. The unions said they welcome collaborative work with the board to develop sustainable compensation strategies.
