WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderSchool district unions take contract fight to picket line

School district unions take contract fight to picket line

By Marissa Alter

ROCKFORD (WREX) - More than 100 Rockford School District workers go public with their contract disputes and picket outside school district headquarters.

The protest was one of the first events for the newly formed Unity 205 coalition. It's made up of four school district unions--secretaries, paraprofessionals, food service workers, and sign language interpreters. They've joined forces to try and get public support during negotiations.

"We understand bargaining is tough all over, but we shouldn't have to come to the table and get a blanket 'no' from the administration," says AFSCME Union representative Jay Ferraro.

Superintendent Dr. LaVonne Sheffield refused to talk contract specifics, saying bargaining will be done at the table, not in the public. "We don't see the world in the same way in terms of what they want at the end of the day. And I think what you see today is an effort to pressure us to move in that direction. But as far as disrespect, this is the first I've heard about that."

Unity 205 plans more events in the coming weeks.

All 965 employees are working without a contract, and they say talks with the school district so far haven't been successful. All four contracts are in mediation. Union leaders say the issues are fair wages, benefits, contract language, and respect from the district. They say management isn't interested in compromise or working together to find a solution.

After the picket, union members spoke out at the school board meeting and told stories of the district's team showing up to bargaining sessions late, unprepared, and uninterested.