The Eagle Point School District and the employee union failed Thursday night in their latest attempt to settle a contract.
School employees in the southern Oregon school district have been on picket lines since Wednesday morning.
Courtesy Bob Pennell, Medford Mail Tribune.
The school district says the union is asking for a contract that’s not workable and too expensive. Dave Carrell is President of the Eagle Point Education Association. He wants the district to make concessions.
"On the three remaining issues that are left, I know we’ve given on all three. I am hoping the district is going to kind of move to the middle. We’re not going to both get what we want, but there should be a creative solution that addresses both of our needs," Carrell said.
The union and district disagree on health insurance for part-time workers. They also disagree on instructional time required of teachers. Both sides say they made progress on a third issue – related to sub-contracting work.
The school district says it plans to open some schools Monday.
It says more than 100 union members and substitutes are willing to work at four of the district’s 12 schools. Union leaders question whether the district has found that many people willing to cross picket lines.
