Several teachers wearing black shorts and holding 0% signs attended the September 10th meeting, voicing their displeasure with the school board's recent teacher pay decisions.
Following a second failed referendum vote in March, the district signaled teacher raises were not coming any time soon due to lack of funding, specifically noting there would be no raises in the next two years.
Smyrna Educators Association president Chuck Welsh expressed the union’s displeasure with that decision and asked the board to consider new negotiations during September 10th's school board meeting.
“You have the power to open the budget and make adjustments for your local employees. Meet with us, negotiate with us in good faith, and let’s work together to keep Smyrna strong.” he said.
The board did not take up the issue Tuesday because it was not on the agenda, but board member Chris Scuse pushed back against the union's claims, noting the district gave teachers a $250 one-time bonus from the district’s reserve account in lieu of an annual raise.
Welsh says the pay in Smyrna is some of the lowest in the area.
"When you look around us, and other districts have had pay raises, as a math teacher I know that if I cross county lines I can get about a $10,000 to $15,000 pay raise.” he told DPM.
The teacher's union had arrangements in place to negotiate pay again with the district in the event of a failed referendum, but Welsh says the district delayed those negotiations until the school year was nearly underway.
Instead, Welsh says they received an email stating the district planned to offer them a 0% raise over the course of the next two years, causing the demonstration at this week’s school board meeting.
Future plans for another referendum are unclear.
