The two sides in the teacher contract negotiations in the Kewanee School District issued statements late Wednesday on the current status of the contract talks.
Kewanee Supt. Dr. Chris Sullens issued a statement on behalf of the school board detailing the board’s proposal to the Kewanee Education Association (KEA), which represents teachers, support staff and other district employees.
“The latest pay increase proposal for teachers and certified staff members total a 15.75 percent increase over the life of the three-year contract,” according to the statement. “The minimum teacher salary for the 2023-24 school year would be $42,541. Increases in the first year of the contract vary from 5.53 percent – 8.73 percent for beginning teachers hired from 2016-17 school year through the 2022-23 school year. Teachers hired prior to the 2016-17 school year would receive a 6 percent raise. The Board believes that this offer addresses our mutual concerns to “attract and retain” teachers.”
The KEA’s statement did not specifically address the board’s offer, but once again asserted that Kewanee teachers are being paid less than those in other nearby school districts while salaries for the district’s administrators are increasing.
“While we are losing good teachers and support staff to neighboring districts that offer more pay and benefits, the Kewanee administration makes so much money, they’re above the state average for administrator salaries, according to KEA spokesperson, Jennifer Vickrey, a fourth-grade teacher with the district.
Vickrey’s statement continued, “The data from the state of Illinois clearly shows Kewanee teachers are more than $20,000 below the average Illinois teacher salary. Meanwhile, on average, the Kewanee administrators, including, Superintendent Sullens, saw their salaries increase by $25,000 over 5 years. During the same timeframe, Kewanee teachers’ salaries increased by an average of $2,400, which is well below the state average.”
The school board’s statement also included a response to statements made by KEA members at the board’s Aug. 21 meeting.
“In order to clarify a total misrepresentation of the Board’s actions, we feel it is necessary to update the public,” according to the statement.
“Prior to the Board meeting on Monday, August 21, the Board sent an updated offer to the Federal Mediator. It is our understanding this offer was presented to the KEA bargaining team earlier in the evening. Therefore, the Board disputes the accusation that the Board is not submitting offers in a timely manner.
The statement continued, “On Monday, August 28, the Board and KEA were in Federal Mediation for over five and half hours. In spite of not receiving a counter offer from the KEA, the Board submitted another offer to the KEA at the end of this session. The Board has agreed to the KEA’s proposal on several items, including pay increases for support staff.”
In response, Vickrey wrote: “The statement put out by Superintendent Sullens claims the school board presented multiple offers to KEA when in reality these alleged offers were not actual proposals at the bargaining table. The truth is we did not get an official offer in writing until a week after the board meeting on Mon., Aug. 28 during mediation.”
KEA members have been working without a contract since their previous contract expired Aug. 15.
