Mukilteo board president explains denial of union demand

Published 1:30 am Monday, May 21, 2018

MUKILTEO —The president of the Mukilteo School Board has written teachers to explain why board members turned down their union’s demand to reopen the existing contract to negotiate pay hikes.

Board president John Gahagan said they are “very willing to meet and discuss increased compensation” but declined the Mukilteo Education Association demand “because it is not necessary to reopen our existing contract in order to discuss providing MEA members with increased compensation allowed by the state during 2018-19.”

The message was sent to teachers Friday and later posted on the district website.

In April, the union submitted a formal demand to bargain on the contract, which runs through August 2019. District administrators rejected the demand.

More than 100 classroom instructors and supporters packed the May 14 school board meeting calling on the elected officials to overrule the administrators.

Gahagan’s statement can be read online at www.mukilteo.wednet.edu.