Representatives of the Teaching Assistants' Association and the state returned to the bargaining table Wednesday to discuss contract terms, following nine months without talks.
The TAA presented what it calls a \status quo"" proposal for its 2003-'05 contract. The new plan waives TA pay raises and retroactive health insurance premiums for the contract period, according to TAA Vice President of Bargaining Burt Johnson.
""Let's just call it even for the period that has come to an end and start negotiating for the 2005- '07 contract, which is where we should be right now anyway,"" Johnson said.
During the session, the state formally denied two proposals the TAA presented last May. One plan called for a 2.4 percent pay increase and required no health insurance premium payments. Johnson said the plan would have cost less than the state's offer, which included a higher pay increase and required premium payments.
Johnson said he was not certain why the state would reject such a proposal, but said factors such as a strongly Republican legislature and a governor he called ""not friendly to state employees"" could play a role.
""We would assume it's a political reason,"" Johnson said.
Scott Larrivee, spokesperson for the Office of State Employment Relations, said the state would not comment on why specific proposals were rejected.
Members of the TAA went on strike last April after the state declared impasse, or deadlock. TAA Co-President Jon Puthoff said his organization is unaware of any legal basis for declaring impasse.
""I think rather than go through this whole process of denying us for essentially no good reason, they just declared impasse,"" Puthoff said.
Puthoff added the state has not made an attempt to reopen negations during nine months since the TAA last met with the state.
""It's just kind of a really shady excuse for these people to use. They're not holding up their end of the bargaining process,"" Puthoff said.
Johnson said the state commented only through the press after talks ended last May. He added both parties should make an effort to resume negotiations.
""Their position was that we were at impasse and that meant that somehow the TAA was more obligated than they were to get back to the table,"" Johnson said.
Larrivee said Wednesday's meeting was initiated when the TAA contacted the state to schedule a bargaining session. He added the state is willing to work with the TAA toward a resolution.
""The state was always willing to come back to the bargaining table,"" Larrivee said.
TAA officials said they had unsuccessfully attempted to schedule talks with the state several times since last November.
""They play politics with the bargaining process and it hurts not only the workers, but it hurts the students and the taxpayers of the state,"" Johnson said.
A decision on the new offer is expected next Wednesday.
