Members of the Ross Education Association (REA), the union representing teachers in the Ross Local School District, say they've been working without a contract since Sept. 1, despite months of negotiating with district leaders.
On Wednesday, dozens of Ross teachers held a rally outside the district's administrative office during the union's mediation session to demand a new contract.
Ross math teacher Amy Brossart says the REA is mainly seeking higher wages for educators, and she hopes Wednesday's rally gets the community's attention and brings the two parties closer to a deal.
"We're hoping by showing all this support tonight that we're able to persuade the Board to bring us that fair contract that we're all waiting for," she said.
Brossart has been a teacher at Ross Local Schools for 18 years. She left the district for a few years for a higher-paying job before eventually returning. She says it's becoming more common for teachers in the district to leave because of low pay.
The school district's boasts revenues that exceed expenditures, plus a positive cash balance of around $8.2 million. Still, the forecast warns of uncertainty with state funding that could chip away at that surplus.
Brossart says she believes the district wants to be financially prepared for the future, but it's coming at the expense of teachers.
"Just being fiscally responsible is great, but if you're not rewarding the individuals and your employees in that way, then we're going to have a hard time retaining the people that we have," Brossart said.
In a brief statement, Superintendent Bill Rice told WVXU that negotiations are ongoing.
"We look forward to continuing to bargain in good faith as we work towards a 3-year contract," Rice wrote.
Union negotiators have met with the district about five times this year. Brossart says the REA will continue to rally more community support for the union before the next negotiation meeting.
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