Wentzville NEA, school district
sign first master agreement
The Wentzville National Education Association and the Wentzville
school district signed the first legally binding master agreement
for Wentzville teachers on May 7, 2009. The agreement was
the product of a year of preparation on the part of the WNEA
and six months of negotiating between teams representing WNEA
members and the school district.
“This agreement is a good thing for the district and
the teachers in that it holds both parties to a standard of
excellence that we strive for as a district,” says WNEA
President Scott Kiehl.
In December of last year, the WNEA negotiations team and
district representatives established a set of ground rules
that laid the basis for good faith bargaining for both sides.
Over the course of the next four months, the two teams negotiated
tentative agreements on a master contract, teacher use of
plan time, the school work day, school year, transfers, staff
communications, and salary and benefits.
A team of WNEA leaders and Missouri NEA staff members facilitated
the staff vote and ratification of the agreement May 5 and
6. The teachers approved the proposals 587 – 5. The
Wentzville board of education unanimously approved the agreement
Thursday night, and association and school board representatives
signed the agreement immediately following the meeting.
In May 2007, the Missouri Supreme Court affirmed the rights
of public employees, including teachers and educational support
professionals, to bargain collectively with their employers.
The Wentzville staff members overwhelmingly endorsed the WNEA
as their exclusive representative in February 2008, following
years of bargaining that involved multiple teacher organizations
and less than satisfactory results.
“The process of coming to this agreement has enhanced
the relationship between district leadership and the teachers,”
says Julia Luetkenhaus, WNEA negotiations chairperson. “We
applaud the district for its efforts and look forward to continuing
collaborative efforts on behalf of our staff and students.”
The 35,000-member MNEA represents teachers, education
support professionals, college faculty, retired teachers and
students studying to be teachers in school districts and on
college campuses throughout the state. It is the Missouri
affiliate of the 3.2 million-member NEA.
For further information:
Steve Geiger, Missouri NEA staff, (636) 970-3111
Scott Kiehl, WNEA president, (314) 494-6151
Julia Luetkenhaus, WNEA negotiations chairperson, (636) 634-5595.
May 12, 2009
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