Negotiations Continue Ahead Of DPS Teacher Vote On Contract
DENVER (CBS4) - In a matter of days, teachers at Denver Public Schools will vote whether to strike over new contract. The teachers' union and the school district resume negotiations on Tuesday in hopes of avoiding a strike.
They have been trying to come to a compromise for more than a year. The Colorado Education Association says 51 percent of all voters it polled support more pay for teachers.
The CEA says part of the issue is Denver pays teachers on merit, but they want more stability.
"Teachers can't afford to work and live in the communities they teach. They have a very unpredictable pay system right now. So there are three days left of bargaining, and the hope is that both sides will come together to find a solution to ensure that teachers can stay in the classroom and be in front of kids on a daily basis," said Amie Baca-Oehlert, CEA President.
The contract expires Friday. Last Friday, DPS proposed a 10 percent increase in teacher base pay to the Denver Classroom Teachers Association.