Decorah Education Association makes first proposal in contract negotiations

On Monday afternoon the Decorah Education Association made its first contract proposal to the Decorah Community School Board.

The request called for a total increase of 4.28 percent for salary plus benefits.  That would include a $700 salary base increase, to $32,932.

The request also calls for contract language change that would define "parental leave" to include adoption leaves. Related to that, it calls for parental leaves to be consistent for both adoptive and natural birth parents, and provides for up to six weeks of accrued sick leave for both parents (if both are employed by the District).

Other proposed language changes defined sick leave to include parental leaves. The allowed teacher one free period preparation time was requested to be "uninterrupted" time during the school day (e.g., not during a split classroom period).

Negotiations are expected to continue next week.