KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM/FM) — Labor unrest among teachers in Kalamazoo Public Schools has prompted the district to take the unprecedented step of releasing their bargaining position to the public.
Hundreds of teachers turned out to picket the administration building and many of them stayed for Thursday night’s board meeting, with teachers and parents requesting board members to restore step raises.
Then, something we have never seen before happened. District finance Director Gary Start publicly laid out their current offers to the union, and both of them include full or partial step increases.
Their offer is for a 1.88 percent increase in pay. They claim the union wants more, even though Kalamazoo teachers have seen 10 percent raises over the last six years while teachers in other districts have watched their salaries drop.
The district said both of their offers include either full or partial step-pay if the union is willing to make other concessions. While the union claims it will only cost the district about $250,000 to cover the cost of the step increases, the district claims the union demands would actually cost $1.5 million more.
Board members, several of whom are former teachers, say they sympathize, but also say, until the state adequately funds education, there is only so much they can do.
School officials say misinformation disseminated through social media about the talks prompted them to go public.
Negotiations resume this weekend.
