Sheldon, Iowa — The negotiation of a new employment contract between the Sheldon Community School District and the Sheldon Education Association, the union representing the District’s teachers, began anew Tuesday when the union presented their Initial Proposal to the School Board.
The two parties were forced to start over from the beginning on a contract for the 2017-18 school year due to a law passed earlier this year by the Iowa Legislature, and signed into law by Governor Terry Branstad. That law limits the various items that can be negotiated by unions representing Iowa’s public employees. Sheldon Community Schools Superintendent Robin Spears says that any contract for the upcoming year not agreed upon by the date the law was enacted must be redone under the parameters of the new law.
The Sheldon Education Association submitted their original initial Collective Bargaining Proposal in early January, but due to the new law were forced to resubmit an Initial Proposal, which was done Tuesday. In their proposal, the Sheldon Education Association says they are determined to maintain the collegial bargaining relationship they have always had with the school district.
The new initial Collective Bargaining Proposal asks for a 3.92% increase in Salaries for the 2017-18 school year. In addition, the proposal asks for the establishment of a Labor Management Committee charged with developing an Employee Handbook to govern the working relationship with the same force as the Master Contract. They also call for the Handbook to include those items now excluded from bargaining under the new law.
For a look at the complete initial Collective Bargaining Proposal from the Sheldon Education Association, CLICK HERE.
