BREAKING NEWS!

LWESP Bargaining Update - February 25, 2010

The parties continue to make progress on language and procedures. Unfortunately, our members cannot use better contract rights to pay their bills and support their families. We are still far apart on salary. The District wants you to wait 20 years to get to the new top salary increment and it's not much higher than the previous step. Instead of waiting for someone to die or resign, you have to hope that you can last 20 years in Lake Washington. The District's latest salary proposal does NOT place LWESP members in third place among area school districts ~ a commitment that was made some time ago. Frankly, we see the District's position on salary as totally unacceptable to our members.

While LWESP employees are being asked to sacrifice on behalf of the District, take a look at what administrators have gained over recent years, with the School Board's blessing:

Superintendent: Base salary increase from $180,950 in 2007-08 to $190,178 in 2008-09,
Plus an Annuity of $20,000 in 2007-08 to $21,000 in 2008-09.
That's an increase of $10,178!

Deputy Supt.: Salary of $135,880 in 2007-08 and $157,300 in 2008-09.
Plus a $5500 annuity in each year.
That's an increase of $21,420!

Chief Officer: Salary of $121,825 in 2007-08 and $144,050 in 2008-09,
Plus an annuity of $5500 in each year.
That's an increase of $22,225!

Directors: Salary of $117,550 in 2007-08 and $133,305 in 2008-09,
That's an increase of $15,755!

Do you find the request for employee sacrifice and the payoff to administrators just slightly outrageous??! Does this make you mad? Some of these increases equal your annual salary. If so, please contact Superintendent Chip Kimball at ckimball@lwsd.org or call him at 425-702-3257.

LWESP employees deserve to be dealt with honestly and fairly. We need a competitive wage to be able to afford to live within a reasonable commute of our jobs. We should not have to rely on spouses, partners, parents, government agencies, roommates, etc. to be able to afford to work for Lake Washington School District.

We bargain again on March 2. We look forward to seeing all LWESP members at the general membership meeting on Thursday, March 4 at Redmond High School Cafeteria from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.

It's time to make some noise!!
LWESP Bargaining Team