BREAKING NEWS: LWESP bargaining unit overwhelmingly ratifies agreement.

LWESP bargaining unit agreement goes to LWSD administration on May 3 for school board approval.

 UPDATED:  The Lake Washington Educational Support Personnel (LWESP) bargaining unit met this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. in the Redmond High cafeteria and overwhelmingly voted to ratify the package agreement.

It didn't take long for the approximate 90 LWSD office managers and support personnel to discuss and vote on the agreement.  The union has 160 - 170 members.  The meeting lasted one and a half hours.    

Donna Lurie (left), chief negotiator for the LWESP bargaining team, stated "the ratified package agreement: 1) includes improvements to contract language, 2) clarifies procedures, 3) provides wage increases, and 4) resolves issues of the sick leave use on March 8." The agreement is retroactive to August 16, 2009. 

Ms. Lurie praised the mediator team of John and Carol Glaser.  "They were very skilled facilitators and helped create a safe environment.  They were enormously helpful, I think, to both parties."  The team was brought in several weeks ago.  Donna said "she was very thankful it's settled and we look forward to a more respectful and productive relationship in the future."   The agreement lasts three years, ending 8/31/2012.

Negotiations for LWESP started in February 2009 and came into loggerheads.  Ms. Lurie stepped in early January 2010 and moved the negotiations forward with tangible proposals, according to Kathryn Reith, LWSD Communications Director.  Donna Lurie has been negotiating for 28 years. She works out of the Bothell Washington Cascade office covering Shoreline, North Shore, and LWSD.

The tentative agreement is now in the hands of the District Management Team.  Deputy Superintendent Janene Fogard and Communications Director Kathryn Reith will recommend the agreement  on May 3 for ratification by the School Board.   

By Bob Yoder
Seattle Times Communities Partner

Photo by Yoder