I am personally asking and inviting any school board member to attend scheduled meetings which have now broken down to the point that a mediator is needed. Please take the time to care and listen with your own ears as to what our issues are:

The Oak Harbor School District has refused to pass through the Washington State mandated cost of living allowance to PSE classified employees as a bargaining ploy. Non-payment of this state-mandated COLA to PSE classified staff demonstrates a total lack of respect and contempt for our employees.

The Oak Harbor School District has refused to pay all wage enhancements retroactive to Sept. 1.

The Oak Harbor School District has refused to bring classified employees up to or even close to the median wage of the districts used for comparison to give the superintendent a 6 percent raise. Our superintendent ranks 4 out of the 11 districts. Classified employees are in the negative average in all groups.

Oak Harbor School District wants to outsource driving jobs.

Oak Harbor School District refuses to allow parity of district payment for the HCA carve-out to classified employees.

The Oak Harbor School District refuses fair vacation utilization.

The Oak Harbor School District refuses requests for clarification/formulas/input from involved supervisors

The Oak Harbor School District wants to tie pay enhancements to impact aid fund and general fund balance.

What do we want? We want:

A fair contract.

Fair salaries.

Fair cost of living salary increases.

Fair treatment of all employees.

No outsourcing of jobs.

All wage enhancements to be paid retroactive to Sept. 1.

Affordable health insurance and carve-out payment parity with non-classified employees.

Protection of vacation rights and hours of work rights.

Please take the time and be informed as to what we are really requesting. We simply ask to be fairly compensated for the jobs we do and to be treated with respect.

Roxanne Harris

PSE Union Member