KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Kayla Desroches/KMXT
The students may have left the now-quiet halls of Kodiak High School, but the school administration and district support staff are still hard at work.
They’re on the second day of negotiating the contract for members of the Kodiak Island Educational Support Association, or KIESA.
KIESA’s bargaining force sits inside a room with blacked out windows. They’ve all volunteered to be on the force and represent paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, librarians, and other members of the school district support staff.
They say they’ve already met for negotiations twice in March (Mar. 29 and 30) and once in April. This could be the last time they meet, or just another installment in the series.
KIESA’s negotiations happen every three years and include discussions about health insurance and salaries.
The other school district employment groups are the Kodiak Borough Education Association and the Kodiak Administrator Association. There is also an exempt group which includes employees in the central office who may have conflicts of interest if they were to join such an association.
