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Saline educators press board for pay increases as contract talks move to mediation
Summary
At the Feb. 25 Saline Area Schools board meeting, Saline Education Association president Bridget Corey urged the board to secure higher pay for staff after contract talks stalled; the union has requested mediation with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission.
Bridget Corey, president of the Saline Education Association, told the Saline Area Schools Board of Education on Feb. 25 that educators in the district deserve higher pay and that the union has requested mediation after contract negotiations stalled.
Corey said the negotiated collective-bargaining agreement expired Dec. 31, 2024, and that the district's initial financial offer included no increase to the salary schedule. "My team deserves more than just recognition. We deserve to be compensated fairly for the incredible work we do," she said.
The remarks came during the meeting's extended public-comment slot. Corey, who identified herself as a parent and the association president, described the district's staff as the source of students' attachment to school and said that rising inflation and health-care costs have strained many educators.
Corey said the union sought mediation with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission after bargaining with the district's new administration failed to reach agreement on salary. "We were willing to work with [the district] and prioritize the financial stability of the district," she said, adding that recent state revenue changes and a reduction in the district's pension liability should be considered in talks.
Board members listened but did not take formal action on the contract at the meeting. Assistant Superintendent Miranda Ousley and other district staff were present earlier in the agenda for budget items and later answered questions from trustees about state funding and the district's finances.
Why it matters: The outcome of the bargaining process will affect staffing costs, the district's ability to recruit and retain teachers amid a statewide teacher shortage, and the district budget. The union's move to mediation signals that negotiations have reached an impasse on pay.
Meeting evidence: Corey's full remarks were presented during the public-comment portion of the Feb. 25 meeting. The Saline Education Association's request for mediation and the board's subsequent budget and contract discussions were recorded in the meeting's minutes and audio transcript.
What comes next: The union and district will appear before the Michigan Employment Relations Commission for mediation; no final contract was presented or approved at the Feb. 25 meeting.
