Batavia teacher contract talks progressing
Batavia teachers might start the new school year Aug. 18 without a new contract, but negotiators are making progress.
The negotiators met two full days this week, and are scheduled to meet Tuesday and Wednesday, said Tony Malay, president of the Batavia Education Association.
"We're more than halfway done," Malay said Friday. There's tentative agreement on working conditions, he said, but "the whole compensation piece is just starting."
The BEA represents about 400 teachers, social workers, counselors and librarians who work in the district's nine schools.
Its previous, two-year contract expired June 30.
"It would be great to have a contract before the beginning of school. ... This year, we started (talks) a little later than in previous years," Malay said, noting that negotiations began in the spring.
He said the district's negotiators have also been busy negotiating a contract with the Batavia Educational Support Professional Association.
BESPA represents most of the district's secretaries, special-education and classroom paraprofessionals, campus monitors, maintenance workers and delivery drivers. The BESPA contract also expired June 30.