PORTLAND – The school district starts contract negotiations this month with all four of its employee unions, further complicating budget planning efforts on the verge of a $6 million reduction in federal funding in the coming school year.

Contracts with the principals’ union and the base employees’ union, which represents bus drivers, cafeteria workers, clerks, custodians and others, will expire June 30. Contracts with the teachers’ and educational technicians’ unions will expire Aug. 31.

Superintendent Jim Morse and his staff have already met with union leaders to outline the fiscal challenges that lay ahead.

“The meetings so far have been incredibly polite,” he said. “In difficult budget times, your best weapon is full disclosure.”

The district would have to lay off as many as 120 employees — 10 percent of its work force — to make up for an expected $6 million reduction in federal revenue, including economic recovery money that’s running out this year, Morse said.

“Clearly, we can’t afford to lose that amount of staff,” Morse said. “We can only hope (the unions) understand that this isn’t the year to be asking for raises. None of the non-union employees will be getting raises.”

Morse noted that school employees received no cost-of-living pay increases this year, though teachers who completed professional development did receive step increases.

“I’m hoping the unions come forward with creative solutions to help us avoid widespread layoffs,” Morse said.

Maine’s largest school district spends about $70 million of its $89.3 million annual budget on salaries and benefits for its 1,200 employees.

Kathleen Casasa, teachers’ union president, said it’s premature to outline her organization’s expectations because leaders of the district’s largest bargaining group are in the process of surveying members.

“We fully intend to enter into good-faith bargaining,” Casasa said. “This is not the first time we’ve negotiated with a backdrop of a difficult budget.”

Casasa said teachers likely will offer creative alternatives to salary increases, but they also will want to be sure that there’s no wasteful spending.

“Sometimes, when money is tight, there are other issues that are important to teachers that come into play,” she said.

As an example, Casasa said the union may seek a greater role in making decisions about the district’s future, which is the subject of a comprehensive plan that’s being developed by Morse and his administrative team.

Casasa said the district has a highly skilled teaching staff with broad expertise in the latest educational methods. “And often we’re the last people consulted for our input,” Casasa said.

There will be some new faces at the bargaining tables this year, including Suzette Olafsen, chief negotiator and compensation coordinator for the teachers’ union, and Jerry Blazek, human resources coordinator for the district.

Hired in August, Blazek has held various human resources and labor relations positions, including stints with the Athens County Board of Commissioners in Ohio, the Ohio Department of Mental Health, the University of Southern Maine and Quinebaug Valley Community College in Connecticut.

Staff Writer Kelley Bouchard can be contacted at 791-6328 or at:

kbouchard@pressherald.com

 

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