Negotiations stall on new contract for Cahokia School District teachers, staff
Monday marked the 37th day Cahokia Unit School District teachers have been working without a contract, and the 92nd day for the district’s secretaries and service workers.
That’s an unprecedented for the district, both the Cahokia Federation of Teachers Local 1272 and Superintendent Curtis McCall Jr. said. As administrators and union members face sticking points with contract policies, there’s one thing both sides agree on: They want to avoid a strike.
“Unfortunately, it is a possibility,” said Union President and High School English Teacher Wendy Lochmann, stressing a strike is a last resort. “We don’t have winners with a strike.”
McCall said he doesn’t see a strike on the horizon.
“Right now my focus is on bargaining in good faith and continuing to have productive dialogue with the union,” McCall said.
Cahokia school professionals packed Monday’s school board meeting, which was held in the Huffman Elementary School gymnasium in anticipation of the large crowd. They were dressed in blue union shirts and holding signs. A handful spoke during public comment before migrating outside to lead chants.
Lochmann said she hopes demonstrations like these can lead to a resolution that doesn’t require a strike.
What’s the hold up?
Local 1272 negotiates three separate contracts: one for teachers and other certified staff, one for secretaries, and one for service employees. All expired this summer, though their terms remain in force until a new agreement is reached.
Previously, the three contracts were negotiated together, but this year are being negotiated separately, which slows the process, McCall said. Lochmann said the pacing is particularly slow, though.
McCall said the vast majority of the administration and union’s discussions so far surround policies and procedures; comparatively little has been discussed on the issue of pay.
The district’s proposals include substantial changes to long-standing policies and procedures.
“We were met with proposals that basically gut all three contracts,” Lochmann said.
She previously told the BND the administration stripped a lot of protections and included other changes that aren’t beneficial to workers, which could exacerbate existing turnover issues.
The goal is not to infringe on worker’s rights, McCall said, but rather to eliminate what he calls outdated policies that backfire on students.
For example, he said teachers aren’t currently required to submit lesson plans, which he said makes it hard to know what’s being taught and to evaluate teachers. He said the proposals also aim to address what he called “sick leave abuse” — a current point of contention between Cahokia staff and administration — by requiring doctor’s notes when an employee takes sick leave.
“They’ve been doing things here a long time a certain way,” McCall said. “This is about changing the culture (to) benefit students at the end of the day.”
Student success may be the shared desire, Cahokia High English Teacher Carrie Lee told the board Monday, but she doesn’t think the district’s proposals will get there. Lochmann said the district’s proposals prioritize serving the administration over students.
“We’re supposed to be on the same team, we’re supposed to have the same goal. That goal is supposed to be doing what’s best for students, improving their lives through education,” Lee said. “But you can’t care about students if you don’t care about teachers.”