OEA Bargaining Update

February 24, 2015

On February 24, 2015 the OEA and OUSD bargaining teams met.

The OUSD bargaining team presented a package proposal to your OEA team in response to our package proposal presented on February 10^th, 2015.

In summary, the only change from the district’s prior package is in Article 24:  Compensation.  They are now offering 0.5% more for 2015-2016 bringing their offer from 3.0% to 3.5% beginning January 1, 2016.

Both teams felt a bit stuck in the process that we have been engaging in so far. We also agreed that we are not ready to call it quits. In an effort to move forward from this point, both teams agreed to engage in a different process at the table. Rather than “taking turns” on presenting proposals and waiting for the other side to make movement, we will attempt to co-construct proposals in areas where we feel stuck. Ideas and options will be generated to examine each party’s interests on key articles, and areas of concern will be tackled with the goal of reaching contractual solutions.

Officially, these conversations will be non-binding, parties will preserve their prior (pre-package) positions and proposals, and parties may still opt to present counter proposals. 

Both teams also agreed that in order to create a safe climate where risk taking and candid and courageous conversations can occur what is postulated would remain confidential. Information will be made public as soon as either side makes a formal proposal or when any agreement is reached on an article.

Both parties have made a serious commitment of time by scheduling more sessions both during the week and on the weekend:

March 9^th and 10^th

March 22^nd, 23^rd, and 24^th

April 19^th, 20^th, and 21^st

May 12^th and May 26^th

More sessions may be scheduled for the month of May after an assessment of progress in March.