Teachers take to the streets in protest on Monday

About three dozen teachers from the Polson School District picketed the school administration building Monday afternoon to protest the lack of a contract between the teachers' union and the school district after contract negotiations broke down again last month, the 19th meeting between the two groups in the past year.

"Be positive. This is not a show of anger. This is supposed to be informational. We want people to know we've been working all year without a contract," Marlin Lewis told assembled teachers before they made their way down to the administration building.

Lewis was elected last week as president of the Polson Education Association, the teachers' union that represents most of the employees in the school district. He said a revised contract presented by school board members at the May 25 meeting was substantially different than prior versions they'd been negotiating with, and Lewis characterized that as a step back for the negotiation process.

"We had finally met them on the structure of the contract. We were very positive this time, but under the new contract (presented at the May 25 meeting) we would have had to give up a lot of monetary value in the language in the contract," Lewis said. "We see that as a step back."

The teachers met a block south of the courthouse and marched around the administration building and around downtown Polson, carrying signs decrying the lack of a signed contract. Due to summer hours, the administration building was largely empty at the time of their protest, but district administration and board members had been notified of the planned event last week.

The union and district began negotiations in May, 2004, hoping to reach an agreement before the 2004-2005 school year started, but were unable to come to an agreement despite regular bargaining sessions throughout the year. The teachers started the 2003 school year without a contract, as well, but both sides managed to sign one before Christmas break that year.

Lewis said many teachers are adamant about not starting the 2005-2006 year without a contract.

"We have a lot of members who are against starting the year without another contract," he said. "We are 100 percent committed to reaching an agreement with the board that is fair to teachers, the community and students."

Lewis said the revised contract presented last month fell short in proposed salary increases, among several areas of concern.

"The state of Montana kicked up the increase for ANB (average number belonging), and the community also responded by passing the mill levies," Lewis said. "We aren't asking for all of that money, but just a little bit."

Under the state's current funding system, school districts are largely funded based on the average number of students in the district. The Legislature recently approved a bill that would slightly increase the amount of money per student given to school districts, in an effort to help districts while a new funding formula is being developed.

Polson school board members declined to comment on the situation. Negotiations will resume next week, June 21 and 22.