Anderson teachers rally as contract negotiations continue [The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind.]

Nov. 8—ANDERSON — Teachers throughout the Anderson Community Schools gathered outside school buildings Monday in support of the union's bargaining team.

ACS and the Anderson Federation of Teachers are currently in negotiations for a new contract.

The two groups resumed their mediation session this morning at 10 a.m.

Michelle Jackson, a 19-year fourth-grade teacher at Tenth Street Elementary School, said her concern was that an increase in the health insurance premium would result in lower take-home pay.

The AFT is negotiating for a pay raise for its members to cover the increased insurance cost and provide additional income.

"For me, it's everything," Jackson said. "I will take home less. The proposed 4% pay increase won't cover the insurance costs for me."

Highland Middle School teacher Suzanne Wheeler has been a special education teacher for 23 years.

"I hope we get a lot of support here," Wheeler said. "We plan to go to the administration center after school if the negotiations are still going on."

She said the bottom line during the negotiations is that teachers can't go home with less money.

"With gas prices and inflation, they can't go home with less money in their paycheck," Wheeler stressed. "No one would say it was okay if that was them."

Wheeler said a pay raise that doesn't cover the increase in health insurance costs is a "deal breaker."

"Who else would work just as hard or harder for less money?" she said. "We're having mostly positive support from the community."

Wheeler said if there is going to be another call-out day by teachers that results in the schools being closed, she would like parents to have advance notice.

"I hope there is a new contract," she said of the Tuesday school board meeting.

"When the pandemic hit, we were told that we're a team," Wheeler said. "Teachers and staff went out and provided food relief for families out of their own pocket. You don't get that kind of dedication and say we're going to cut into your paycheck but keep up the great work."

Twenty minutes before schools started Monday, teachers congregated outside their buildings dressed in red to rally support.

At Erskine Elementary, around 30 people gathered to show their support, all wearing red and some held signs that read "I support ACSC students, teachers and support staff."

"We are very hopeful that we can get a settlement reached today," Ashley Loffer, a kindergarten teacher at Erskine Elementary school, said. "We are continuing to show up outside school early every day until negotiations have been met."

If an agreement is not reached during today's mediation session, Loffer expects there to be a large turnout at tomorrow's school board meeting.

According to Loffer, a parent reached out to members of the board and Superintendent Joe Cronk to request a venue change for tomorrow's school board meeting, as the expected turnout is too big for the current venue.

"Regardless of if they move it or not, people will be packed in, people will be outside," Loffer said.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.

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