Wayne-Westland schools teachers to negotiate new contract this week
WESTLAND, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — Teachers in the Wayne-Westland Community Schools District are speaking out about the ongoing dispute over their contract.
They say they've been working without a contract since the beginning of the school year and now they want that to change. The previous contract expired in August.
While they continue to show up to work, many feel they're being asked to do much more than they were hired to do.
"They want what they believe is a fair and good economic increase to their income as anyone would expect," said Tonya Karpinski, Michigan Education Association UniServ director for Wayne-Westland schools.
Karpinski says a pay increase for teachers is a priority in a new contract, but it's not the only one. She says teachers also just need time to do their jobs.
"When you are, as I said, losing your preparation periods because you are subbing because we don't have staff, we don't have substitutes to cover that, they really want that support," she said.
The last time the school district and the union spoke on Nov. 5 and Nov. 6, both sides failed to reach an agreement.
Karpinski hopes that will change when both parties meet again on Friday, this time with a state-appointed mediator.
"So we hope that mediation will bring us closer and perhaps we retain that mediator for the next few bargaining sessions until we can get that ultimate tentative agreement. I don't want to consider other options at this point," Karpinski said.
Interim Superintendent Jennifer Curry issued a statement, saying, "The WWCS administration and teachers' negotiation teams will enter mediation this Friday. We are dedicated to working together to reach a mutually beneficial contract agreement that supports both our educators and the success of our students."
Negotiations will begin at 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22.