The Edmonds School District and Edmonds Education Association have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract, according to Jane Westergaard-Nimocks, executive director of human resources for the Edmonds School District.
Westergaard-Nimocks called the negotiations positive and productive, but said she could not give the specific details of the agreement.
Both sides, however, are confident an agreement will be reached by the end of August. A ratification vote is scheduled for Aug. 30.
“(The agreement) will mean a regular start to the school year,” Westergaard-Nimocks said. “It will mean a positive and productive start to the year. It will be a continuation of the collaborative and positive relationship the district has with its teachers.”
Dan Wilson, president of the Edmonds Education Association, said at first, he was unsure when negotiators would result in an agreement.
“We had a large table of goals to meet,” Wilson said. “So I had little faith we would make it by the end of June but we did it.
“It means there is going to be labor peace and we are going to retain the good teachers we already have here,” Wilson said.
He said the association represents approximately 1,300 teachers. Wilson also said he did not foresee any problems for the negotiations before ratification.
“There is nothing in my world,” Wilson said of potential problems. “(The contract) has to be ratified by the school board and the membership and that has yet to be seen. Once that is done it will be a ratified contract.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
