LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — While disagreements are a perennial part of the contract negotiation process between the Clark County School District and the Clark County Education Association, hiring lawyers and going to court over the past decade is unique to Superintendent Jara, who has a history of pushing back against the CCEA.
LATEST: Clark County School District reaches contract agreement with education support staff
The first strike by teachers in Nevada dates back to the 1960s. That strike led to a new state law creating "impasse arbitration." Under that law, striking is illegal, and that's how it stands today. Both sides must bargain in good faith and have at least four sessions before either party can make a case that they're at an impasse and want to go to arbitration.
The first arbitration in the last decade was under Superintendent Dwight Jones in 2011. It ended a bitter 10-month contract battle amid a multi-million-dollar district budget shortfall. In that case, the arbitrator ruled in favor of the teachers union, and the district honored the arbitrator's decision.
In 2012, the union again could not agree with Superintendent Jones. The arbitrator ruled partly in the union's favor, and the district agreed to those terms.
PROTESTS: 'It's disrespectful,' CCEA members felt disrespect from CCSD superintendent
Now fast forward to the 2017-2018 school year. When negotiations broke down under Superintendent Pat Skorkowski, an arbitrator once again decided in favor of the teachers union. By then, Skorkowski was out, and Jesus Jara — the district's current superintendent — had been hired. Within a week of that arbitrator's ruling, CCSD appealed the matter to court, citing the inability to pay increased salary and health benefits for teachers.
Ultimately, the court upheld the arbitrator's ruling, again in favor of the union.
That brings us to 2019.
"In 2019, there was legislation that earmarked specific money for salary increases, and Superintendent Jara balked at that," said CCEA Executive Director John Vellardita.
Union members threatened a strike, and the district said it was going to court to stop it.
"I would argue that Superintendent Jara in 2019 baited CCEA to go out on strike," Vellardita said. "Gov. Sisolak essentially intervened and said the parties need to resolve this. We welcomed that assistance, and in the end, we reached an agreement, but the dispute was no different than the current dispute now."
For the current contract dispute, the union tells 13 Investigates, the school district has hired two outside law firms in the last 30 days at the rate of $600 an hour.
A tweet from County Commissioner Tick Segerblom calls on school board trustees to withdraw the lawsuit, asking, "How can we waste tax dollars fighting our lifeblood teachers?"
MORE: Teachers' union hints at possible 'work stoppage' if deal is not reached with CCSD
After Sisolak's intervention in 2019, we asked the union if they'd reached out now to Gov. Lombardo.
Without giving details, Vellardita said they are in contact with the governor and lawmakers, and all are aware of what's going on.
We asked CCSD for comment on the legal expenses and are still waiting for a response.
