Bargaining Start in Jeopardy

We originally advertised that the RSD and REA Bargaining Teams would be meeting on January 27th to exchange initial proposals. Unfortunately, that date is now in jeopardy. While we had originally agreed to use the RHS library for that meeting on December 5th, 8th, and 9th, and the District reached out to building admin to secure the location on December 11th, the District team backed out of that agreement on December 18th and has since attempted to dictate to REA where we can meet. 
REA’s Bargaining Team has offered to meet at any location that does two things: 

• Has ample space for members and community members who wish to attend in person.
• Has adequate parking that does not force people attending to walk long distances. 

The District has offered three locations and said REA must choose from that list, while simultaneously lecturing us that they are not “dictating” terms. 
Those locations are: 

• Zoom: this is not in-person bargaining and works to keep members as mere observers of the process, allowing no direct or immediate communication and feedback to the REA Bargaining Team. 
• OEA Uniserv Office: not only cannot they not offer this location, it does not have space for any members or community to be present.
• Edgefield: REA has rejected this location on multiple fronts: 
  • There is too little parking without forcing members and community to walk uphill in the cold, dark, and often rain.
  • The space is not adequate to more than about 30-40 members.

The District has additionally claimed that school buildings are inappropriate spaces for bargaining, despite decades of precedents. It is common practice, not just in Reynolds, but across the country to use school buildings for bargaining. 
The reality is that the District does not want you there. They want members to be sidelined and kept at a distance from the process. They want to see you as numbers and figures in a contract, not as real people with real lives impacted by their decisions. They recognize–rightly–that your participation in your contract helps the REA Bargaining Team meet your needs and demands. 
We will update you next week on whether or not we are meeting on Tuesday, January 27th.