Marysville teachers to file motion over pay dispute

By J.J. Jensen
Times Snohomish County bureau

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Relationships between Marysville teachers and district officials haven't improved since teachers returned to work Oct. 22, and the two sides could be back in court as early as next week.

Marysville Education Association (MEA) President Elaine Hanson yesterday announced that teachers will file a motion next week in Snohomish County Superior Court over a pay dispute with the district.

When teachers received paychecks yesterday for working eight days in October, Hanson said, those checks were for their base pay only and did not include the locally funded portion for time, responsibility and incentives (TRI) pay.

By not providing teachers their TRI pay, Hanson said, the district was violating Judge Linda Krese's Oct. 20 order that teachers return to work under the terms of their previous contract. The 650-member MEA voted to end its 49-day strike hours after Krese's decision. Students in the 11,000-student district missed 36 days of school.

Hanson said the MEA will go to Krese and request that she compel the district to follow her order.

"We expected the School Board to comply with her order," said Hanson. "We complied and went to school, as the judge ordered. We expected the board to do the same. I think they're more interested in punishing teachers."

District spokeswoman Judy Parker said teachers will not be denied their TRI pay.

Parker said because teachers returned to work after the time of the month when paychecks are normally calculated, the district's payroll department has been scrambling. The district wanted to pay teachers their base salary first and is now getting supplemental contracts for TRI pay in order.

Teachers, who are paid on the last working day of the month, will begin receiving their TRI pay with their November paychecks, Parker said.

"Only the base salary was spoken to in the injunction, and that was our priority," she said.

According to the document, Krese ordered teachers to "return to work at pay levels for their individual employment contracts according to the 2002-2003 salary schedule ... subject to all terms and conditions of employment covered by the expired collective bargaining agreement ... "

The two main components of teacher pay are the state-determined, state-funded base pay and TRI pay, the local-levy compensation that recognizes the work teachers put in after the day's final bell, such as grading papers, planning lessons and meeting with parents.

Both pay schedules give raises depending on experience and education. Marysville TRI pay ranges from $3,512 to $7,877 a year.

In addition to the flap over pay, other issues suggest little healing between teachers and district leaders.

When teachers returned to work, many were angered when they were greeted with copies of Krese's order in their mailboxes. The district also mailed copies of the order to teachers via regular and certified mail.

Parker said the mailings were sent on the advice of the district's attorneys to ensure that all teachers receive copies.

Teachers and district representatives continue to negotiate a new contract. The next mediation session is Wednesday.

J.J. Jensen: 425-745-7809 or jjensen@seattletimes.com

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