The Board of Education and the Riverside Brookfield Education Association (RBEA) are pleased to announce that at the Committee of the Whole and Special meeting on May 27, 2022, the Board approved a new three-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the RBEA following ratification by the RBEA membership on May 25, 2022. The new CBA goes into effect on July 1, 2022. Both sides agreed to use Interest Based Bargaining, which is a process led by a Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service mediator. The collaborative process began in January and culminated recently. Within the Interest Based Bargaining process, the Board and RBEA identified shared interests to support the continued excellence of the District. The parties believe they have negotiated a reasonable and responsible CBA.
The Significant Highlights of the new CBA:
● Implemented additional avenues for collaboration and communication between the RBEA, Administration, and the Board of Education;
● Identified a new model for teacher leadership to support instructional improvement;
● Educational support personnel employees will receive a cumulative increase of $5.00 dollars to hourly wages over the three years, as well as other adjustments in recognition of their significant contributions to the District;
● Teacher salary increases, will continue to follow a “flat dollar” concept with an annual average increase of $3,900, with the second and third year increases tied to inflation;
● Employee benefits like insurance and the teacher retirement structure will remain status quo for the agreement.
On average the new CBA will have an annual cost increase of $524,000 which is in line with the projected District budgets.
Board President Deanna Zalas and RBEA President Marc Helgeson commended all of the participants in the negotiations process for their dedication and collaborative efforts in finalizing this CBA. The agreement supports the Mission Statement of the District and provides an environment for the staff and students to feel supported and valued while maintaining a continued focus on fiscal responsibility.
View the full official press release below.