LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As teacher salary negotiations continue without resolution, the teacher's union filed a complaint to stop the Clark County School District from filing an injunction in court Monday.
The two parties are due in court Tuesday.
I spoke to the executive director of the Clark County Education Association about what they are attempting to do.
For weeks, teachers have been hosting rally after rally pushing for higher salaries.
"It is like they are trying to get us to give up," said Kelly Edgar, a CCSD music teacher. "They can't stop a work action. The work action is, 'I will not work past my contracting time. I am currently contracted to work 7 hours and 11 minutes.'"
With no contract agreement reached, the union has said they could implement a work action as it is illegal for public employees to strike. Weeks ago, the Clark County School District took legal action, filing a motion for an injunction to stop teachers from striking.
However, the executive director of the CCEA, John Vellardita, says they have not threatened a strike.
"The lawsuit to seek an injunction against an alleged strike or strike threat, we think that effort on their part is very political," he said.
Monday, the CCEA filed a complaint to have the motion dismissed.
"It is essentially going after what we think is a frivolous lawsuit," he said.
Vellardita says in their most recent response, the district cited recent rallies as efforts to promote a strike. He says attempting to stop these rallies or work actions violates teachers' rights.
"Those are all protected under the law," he said. "First Amendment rights on the part of educators, so we believe this whole effort to try and get an injunction is designed to suppress educators' voices."
Both parties are due in court Tuesday morning. Two days of teacher salary negotiations ended last week, but no agreement was reached.
The district now offers an 8.5 percent raise, but the union demands 10 percent.
"We are still far apart. The district didn't do anything in terms of putting any additional money on the table," Vellardita said. "They moved money around."
He says the union asks the district to share their proposal with trustees this Thursday when another rally is planned.
This Saturday, teachers will meet on what they want to do next without a contract.
"What do you think will be the outcome?" I asked Edgar.
"Work actions," she answered.
We contacted the district about this complaint but did not hear back. The union and the district will be in district court tomorrow at 8 a.m. on the motions that have been filed.
