Highlights and lowlights

FIRST THINGS FIRST:  Please plan to show up at the District Office tomorrow morning at 8:15 SHARP -- we'll cheer for our negotiators as they start another day of bargaining. We'll be there for about 15 minutes. Then, we'll be able to go about whatever it is we have planned tomorrow.

Our KEA bargaining team met at 8 this morning and spent a significant amount of time working with the mediator. The mediator also met with the District team. We exchanged proposals. We hoped for more progress today, but tomorrow is another day.  We expect a proposal from the district first thing tomorrow morning.

Meanwhile, here are some highlights and not so highlights.

A vast majority of members were clad in red for the professional development training today.

After the training, dozens showed up to show some love for our hard working negotiators. 

Members lined the streets with signs and smiles and as people in passing cars showed their support with honks and waves.

KEA President Rob Woodford joined members in our informational picketing.

Three TV stations came  by and featured those who were waving signs and passing out flyers. There were live shots, lots of interviews with members and lots of visuals. It gave members a chance to share our message.

Several KEA members were on hand to ask parents and other community members show their support by contacting Kennewick School Board members.

Lower lights include the fact that, at a few schools, District administrators tried to (and, in some cases, succeeded) force members off school district property. If they had looked at Article II, Section 3, number 4 in our contract, they would be able to see that it says, "The association and its representatives will have the right to reasonable use of school buildings." It seems like sharing information with parents asking them to contact the board telling them to settle the impending strike might be seen as reasonable use. In any event, we are negotiating bright and early tomorrow morning.

One wonderful moment today was when our bargaining team got to come outside from their windowless room to see the support we are showing. Please know that our bargaining team members are getting your messages.

We have made a commitment to do all of our negotiating at the bargaining table and NOT in public because we know a final deal will happen between the two teams -- not on a website. It's difficult for our bargaining team members not to share every detail with all of you, but they are not going to do that. They are often stuck in the bargaining room for hours waiting for a counter proposal so texting them with messages of support is the best thing you can do. They probably won't respond, but they really appreciate messages of support from as many of you as possible. We're also making sure they are fed, watered and entertained during long wait times.

That's it for today. We'll be sharing more details on Facebook, on the blog, through Rob's bargaining reports and in texts. Let's make sure we're working hard and making positive connections with one another during these stressful days.