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January 8, 2014
Close is Not a Contract
As you know, we were unable to reach an agreement after 21 straight hours of bargaining with the district earlier this week. During that process, we exchanged offers with the district in the form of mediation "supposals." Supposals are a way to float non-binding ideas during the bargaining process. They are NOT official proposals. This means that whatever is suggested in a supposal is not a done deal.
The district announced in the media that they are willing to return to current contract language on health insurance and workload. While we are encouraged by this, it is NOT a done deal. Given the district's track record, we cannot trust that this is where they will end up - despite what they have said to the press.
We have just received a written supposal from the district. We will review it carefully to ensure that it addresses your priorities and reflects the conversations we had at the bargaining table.
District Refused to Meet
In the early morning hours of our recent marathon mediation session, we were surprised the District team decided to end the negotiation session without a settlement. We were further surprised that they declined to schedule any future face-to-face meetings. When prodded by the mediator to set a future date, they refused.
District Tries to Box-In PAT Through Media Realizing that our discussions were at a delicate phase, both parties had earlier agreed to have a shared understanding on how we communicate publically about negotiations. It's clear the District has abandoned that strategy and has gone to the press to disclose aspects of our discussions in order to box us in a corner. We are concerned that it appears that the district would rather spend their time talking to the media than talking to your bargaining team. This has obviously been a strategic, calculated and harmful move on the District's part that may have a profound impact on delicate face-to-face discussions. Nothing Has Been Finalized Despite Media Coverage It's important for you to know that your team is working hard to bring us closer to a settlement. Bargaining requires give and take; if we expect the District to consider our priorities we must consider theirs. You may have read reports in the media that imply we have made concessions on some of the District's priorities, but you should know that no final agreement has been reached. Next Steps Your team is meeting this afternoon to review the district's proposal and develop a response. We will be sure to share any developments with you. | 
