Teachers picket as negotiations for collective bargaining agreements have stalled

Nome Public School teachers have been working without a collective bargaining agreement, or CBA, for over two months. On Halloween morning, dozens gathered outside Nome Elementary school with picket signs to push their message out to a broader audience.

“No justice, no peace. No contract, no teach,” Teacher at Nome-Beltz Jill Peters led the chants which began before school at 7:15 a.m.

The 2023-2024 negotiated agreement between Nome Public Schools and the Nome Education Association ended in June. The school employees began the school year without an official agreement but “in good faith,” expecting one to come, Peters said.

Typically, the district will begin negotiations in the spring, meeting with a team of teachers and finalizing the agreement before the school year begins in the fall. This year, negotiations have taken far longer than expected, prompting the demonstration, Peters said.

“The teachers united, will never be divided,” the teachers shouted in unison at the demonstration.

This doesn’t mean teachers aren’t being paid. In absence of an agreement, they default to the previous year’s agreement. Certified teachers signed their contract back in the spring, when they agreed to return to work another year in the district. Under this contract their salaries increased, as part of the “step” system NPS follows. “If a teacher was in column D, step nine for the 2023-24 school year, they are now in column D, Step 10 for the 2024-25 school year,” Assistant Superintendent Elizabeth Korenek-Johnson told the Nugget in a phone call.

The negotiated agreement is where working conditions and pay are outlined. Payment for sports coaches and class advisors, teacher rights and hiring practices are protected by that agreement.

Peters said her working conditions are also students learning conditions. Teachers’ ability to do their job hinges on things laid out in the agreement. While an increase in wages is top priority for teachers, safety, workload and hours are also important, Peters said.

“A fair contract is our right, that is why we stand and fight,” the group of demonstrators yelled.

Teachers and community members stood out in the cold early morning, while cars looped through the elementary school’s parking lot, dropping off kids wearing Halloween costumes stuffed into heavy coats.

Some parents the Nugget spoke with didn’t understand the reason for the protest; others were ready with the answer of “pay” or “wages” as they’d heard of prior frustrations around the topic.

Support from administration was displayed by Principal of NES Nick Settle who brought out a pot of coffee for the group, distributing it in styrofoam cups. Principal of Nome-Beltz Middle High School Teriscovkya Smith sent baked goods for the demonstrators.

As drop offs continued, some cars honked their horns, seemingly in support of the teachers and their signs. At 7:43 a.m. the elementary school teachers had to head inside to get ready for the day.

At 7:56 a.m. the high school teachers hit the road, too. Remaining at the picket line with their signs still held high, middle school teachers, whose day begins last due to scheduling, continued their chants.

“What’s disgusting? Union busting! What’s outrageous? Teacher wages!” they hollered.

With negotiations still ongoing, Peters hopes to bring community attention to their plight through this demonstration.

“We want to kind of let the community know that we’re at a sticking point, we’re stalling, and we’re done sitting by patiently, waiting for this contract to happen,” Peters said. “Because right now, there’s not been a lot of movement.”

The next negotiation meeting will take place November 12. Until then Peters hopes more people will reach out to the Board of Education and Superintendent Jamie Burgess to show their support for teachers.