Your MVEA Elected Officers for 2024 - 25

Congratulations to our elected officers for next year. Here are your officers for next year:

• President: Cheryl Thramer
• Vice President: Kiera Wright
• Secretary: Carolyn Anderson
• Membership Chair: Laura Howard

 Your building will soon hold elections for building representative. Please consider running to represent your building at Rep Council. New voices are important, and the more members that participate the stronger our association is. 

Please Read the RIF Language In Our CBA

MVEA members, We are unfortunately in a position again this year in which members need to be aware of the Reduction in Force language of the contract. Cheryl and Lance recently met with the District and they are identifying where they will make cuts. We want you to be aware of the reduction in force language. Your building reps have the seniority list and can let you know what your position is on that list. You can also email Cheryl and she can let you know.

This time, the District has said it will follow the RIF language in the contract, unlike the non-renewal process they used last time. Please read the RIF section of our contract so you are aware of the process. Click here to access this RIF language in our contract, or click the Documents tab above to access the entire CBA.

Related - Member Call to Action

We'd like to call you to action at next week's school board meeting to oppose these cuts. Please come to the School Board meeting at Skagit Academy on May 1st at 6pm. We need you there! Please bring any talking points you have and write them on a sign or sign up for public comment! Some points may include:

• keeping cuts far away from the classroom
• the effects of larger class sizes
• how your programs help students succeed and what cuts could do to them
• after large cuts last year, we will lose additional excellent teachers in our district

The New Contract Is Published

Our collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for 2023 - 2025 is now published. Lance sent a copy to your work email, and you can also find a copy on our Documents Page.

We Have a Contract!

First, thank you to all of MVEA who showed up at the district office to picket in support of the bargaining team. It made an impact and helped get us a fair deal that makes progress on many fronts.

At the general assembly meeting on Tuesday, the membership in attendance voted unanimously to accept the tentative agreement as written. Our new contract will be published soon, and you will be able to find it in our Documents page. Some of the contract highlights are:

• Increase in pay - 6.2% this year and an estimated 6.15% next year (depending on the actual IPD next year).
• Increase in VEBA - From $900 per year to $1,200 per year.
• Added recess at elementary with NO teacher supervision.
• Decreased class overload numbers along with an increase in the overload money pool.

These are highlights. The deal includes other money increases and protections of our existing rights. For instance, an increase in substitute pay, and a defense of our personal days and how we use them. So...happy first day of school everyone, we did it! Have a look at the new salary schedule here.

We Have a Tentative Agreement!

Please plan to attend our general assembly meeting at noon tomorrow in the Cascade Commons. We will meet to take our vote on whether we (members) accept the tentative agreement or not. Thank you to all members who showed up and supported our bargaining team. As Lance said in his email, you helped "push us over the finish line." Well done, and we'll see you tomorrow at the Cascade Commons.

We Need You!...To Sign Up And Show Up

Now is one of those times when one more thing to do seems like the last thing you want. But now is the time to fight for our future...

• Our future pay
• Our retirement future
• Our future working conditions
• And our current status as a collective bargaining unit.

According to our bargaining team, the district's current offer diminishes our future pay, retirement and working conditions. It puts us behind neighboring districts in these categories and frankly, shows some level of distain for our hard work and commitment to the children and families of the Skagit Valley. We have to step up and be seen, heard and respected.

MVEA officers and reps are urging members to sign up for a picketing shift for the bargaining session this coming Monday, August 28. There are different shifts available and we ideally need every member to show up to picket the bargaining session - to make a show of force that supports the bargaining team. We need masses in red (or MVEA green) to show our solidarity and make it clear that we will not accept anything but a fair offer that keeps us on par with neighboring districts.

Please make time Monday to wear red and hold a sign in support of our bargaining team. Sign up at this link, and meet at the district office for a two-hour shift (or more 😃). This is the time for solidarity. United we bargain, divided we beg.

General Membership Meeting

Members, please make room in your calendar to attend the General Assembly meeting on Wednesday, August 23. We do not have a Tentative Agreement at this time and still remain far apart on key issues important to members. It is vitally important that you attend the General Membership meeting this Wednesday, August 23 at 4:30pm in the MVHS cafeteria. Your team looks forward to seeing you there to discuss our next steps. We will likely be voting, so plan to attend.

August 15 - Members Show at the DO

Please check out these images of members supporting the bargaining team outside of the District office.

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MVEA in action!

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Many passing cars honking and waving

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Teachers lining N. 4th Street

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Bargainig Team hard at work in the DO

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This sign sums it up

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There was reported progress today during bargaining. However, there is still a lot of work to do. Members were asked to consider turning up at the school board meetin on the 16th, but this action has been cancelled. Per Cheryl's email to home addresses, please put two important dates on your calendar:

• August 23 at 3:30 at the MVHS Cafeteria - This is our previously scheduled general assembly meeting, and it will be an important meeting. Although we hope to be able to present a tentative agreement that night, if we do not have one, we will need to discuss the status of the bargain and next steps. It is very important to attend! We will likely be voting at this meeting, and you will need to attend to have your vote counted. If you are not a member, you will need to sign up before this meeting.
• August 29 at noon, location TBD - Your Bargaining Team will either present a tentative agreement at this time, OR discuss the status of the bargain and discuss next steps. This meeting is vital. We will be voting at this meeting on important actions. We need all members to attend. If you are not a member, you will need to sign up before this meeting.

August 14 Bargaining Update - Time to Mobilize!

Bargaining is happening this week, and MVEA President Cheryl Thramer says it's time for membership to mobilize! It is mid-August, and our current agreement with the Mount Vernon school district expires in 17 days. There is one more bargaining session this week - tomorrow (8/15), and then not another one until the 28th, just three days before our contract expires. We (the executive board) are asking for your help. A show of force tomorrow will strengthen our hand at the bargaining table. While our bargaining team is inside, our membership should be outside with signs demanding just compensation. Please check your home email tonight for details on this call to action.

Additional Bargaining-Related Items:

Teachers will be in various trainings, and setting up their rooms over the next couple of weeks. Encourage everyone you know at work to wear Red or MVEA gear to any and all trainings tomorrow and over the next two weeks. Even if they can't participate in front of the DO, they can wear their gear in solidarity and still send a message.

Put August 23 on your calendar. This will be our membership's general assembly meeting. It is important to attend to hear the latest bargaining news. The meeting begins at 3:30 and will be held in the High School's cafeteria.

If you are not receiving home emails from MVEA, click here to add your member information to our home contact lists.

Bargaining Now!

The Bargaining Team is Hard at Work

If you are checking your home email, you should have received a bargaining update from Lance. Bargainning is ongoing, and it is important for members to check email and follow the bargaining updates. Pay particular attention to amy calls to action, in case we need to mobilize membership.

At our general assembly meeting in June, the members present passed a "no contract, no work" motion. This means when our current contract expires on August 31, we will not show up for work unless we have a tentative agreement (TA).

Stay in Touch with MVEA

If you are not receiving home emails from MVEA, click here to add your member information to our home contact lists. Also, be sure and put Wednesday, August 23 on your calendar for our next general assembly meeting. The meeting will begin at 4:00, and watch for an update for the location.

 Mount Vernon Turns Out!

Well over a hundred MVEA members turned out for the school board meeting, and that's not all - Paras from PSE were in force wearing blue, students came with prepared remarks and signs, parents and other community members crowded Madison Elemenatry. The message was clear: the District's cuts are draconian, ill-considered and clumsily done. Cheryl spoke and asked that the Board sharpen their pencils and reconsider how close to the students these cuts were (not one administrator at the DO was cut).      

There were so many speakers that the Board cut off the public comments after an hour, with the promise of another comment period at the end. This was a great turnout in a crisis (and in a bargaining year). Watch your email for more news, and for calls to action. We will need solidarity in the days and weeks to come during these extraordinary times.

Updated April 27, 2024