An Offer Toward Collaboration

Earlier today, January 26, the District shared with all staff their version of events on their website. There was much in there that we feel painted over the true nature of what is taking place. The District has also threatened REA with an Unfair Labor Practice because we refuse to accept one of their suggested locations. 

This afternoon we sent a response to their latest refusal to collaborate and threat of an ULP. Here is that message: 
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At our January 21st meeting, REA expanded our original three proposed locations with an additional location - Woodland Elementary - and an offer to continue to collaborate with the District on other locations. The District’s eventual response was to, once again, offer Edgefield as the sole location. This is why we characterize the District as dictating a location rather than collaborating. 

Unlike the District, however, collaboration is more than just a phrase to add at the end of an email. In  genuine collaboration we offer the following:

• Alternating locations, starting with the RHS library as originally agreed to. We would maintain our agreement to discuss Woodland or other similar locations at that first meeting.
• When at Edgefield, all REA and RSD bargaining team members, as well as union and district leadership, will park in the gravel lot, maximizing access for members and community. 
• The District will provide a cost estimate to use the proposed shuttle system when at Edgefield with updates after each Edgefield session with the actual costs. 
• If either location proves to lack space for all in-person attendees, that session is automatically suspended. 

If we do not hear back from the District before 5:00 pm today (January 26, 2026), we will presume the January 27th meeting is suspended and the first meeting will be held February 3rd. While we recognize this is after the date mandated in the contract, REA feels it has made a more than good faith offer. We continue to welcome other possible solutions as well. 

If the District opts to file an Unfair Labor Practice charge against REA, please inform the Employment Relations Board that REA was willing to meet at any location that had sufficient space and parking for members (we’ve had over 100 people present at some sessions in the last bargain). Please share that the District believes we are not “engaging in good faith” because we refuse to choose from the District’s three preferred options (one of them our own union hall which the District knows does not have space for in-person attendees). Please also share that the District generated excuses to not use locations we have had recent in-person successor CBA sessions and past practice going back decades and are similar to those used by all other districts in Oregon. Finally, please include how the District never responded to several of our information requests during the Furlough MOU bargain. REA remains ready to inform the ERB of these behaviors, and more, if the District neglects to do so on their own.

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We hope to have another update soon.