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OPEIU Negotiation Update 2025-26

OPEIU Negotiation Update 2025-26

South Washington County Schools (SoWashCo Schools) and the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) recently met for their sixth public negotiation session on December 4, 2025.

During the first session on July 16, SoWashCo Schools and OPEIU reviewed the guiding values for negotiations. Both SoWashCo Schools and OPEIU agreed to cancel the third negotiation session on Sept. 11, 2025. 

Prior to the December 4, 2025 meeting, OPIEU and SoWashCo Schools reached the following tentative agreements:

  • Union Proposal 12: Paid Absence Leave Accrual
  • Union Proposal 12: Personal Business
  • District Proposal F: Absences prior to holidays
  • District Proposal G: Job posting timeline
  • District Proposal I: Job shadow timeline
  • SoWashCo Schools and OPEIU both agreed to remove comp time proposals, so comp time would remain unchanged in the new contract.  

The current open proposals:

  • Union Proposal 8: Rest Periods
  • District Proposal A: Health Care Specialist salary schedule placement

Open Economic Proposals

 

OPEIU

SoWashCo

WAGES

Effective July 1, 2025, average increase of 5.4% 

Effective July 1, 2026, average increase of 4%

Effective July 1, 2025, 2% increase 

Effective July 1, 2026, 2% increase

INSURANCE

Effective January 1, 2026 12% increase

Effective January 1, 2027 9% increase

Effective January 1, 2026 9% increase

Effective January 2, 2027 8% increase 

OTHER

Effective January 1, 2026 increase to $150 per month (currently receive $141.66 per month) to TSA or 403b match

Effective January 1, 2026 $175 per month to TSA or 403b match

Effective January 1, 2026 increase to $150 per month (currently receive $141.66 per month) to TSA or 403b match

$1,500 stipend for Health Care Specialists for third party billing

$1,500 stipend for Health Care Specialists for third party billing 

Effective January 1, 2026 VEBA Increase

Increase single to $225 per month

Increase family $275 per month

(Currently receive $200 per month)

No change to current district contributions

Severance increase to $20,000

(currently receive a max of $18,000)

No change to current district contributions

Building Leadership Team (BLT) Stipend: $400 stipend for serving on the BLT

No change to current practice. Employees serving on the BLT receive their hourly rate of pay for meetings outside of their workday.

N/A

Health Care Specialist License Premium:

 Step 1 = $1 per hour

Step 2 = $2 per hour

Step 3 = $2 per hour

Step 4 = $2 per hour

Step 5 = $4 per hour

Step 6 = $5 per hour

Vacation Schedule

One additional paid vacation day per eligible level (based on years of service)

No change to current vacation allocation. 

 

Note: Eligible employees received an average wage step increase of 7.5% on July 1, 2025

After a brief discussion on December 4, 2025 OPIEU stated they would be filing for mediation. SoWashCo Schools received notice on December 5, 2025 that OPIEU officially filed for mediation with the Bureau of Mediation Services. As of December 12, 2025, no mediation date has been set.

SoWashCo Schools has offered to continue negotiations prior to mediation being scheduled.

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