Saline MI
2-27-2025 11:01am

Saline Teachers Union President Addresses Board

Tuesday night, Saline teachers union president Bridget Corie, an eighth grade math teacher, addressed the Board of Education Tuesday. Corie and her union have been working without a contract since Dec. 31. She is the president of the Saline Educatiion Associatiion.

Here is the text of her remarks:

Good evening. I am Bridget Corie, and I am a proud parent in this District. Raising my children in Seline has been a source of pride for my family. We value the district's history of excellence and appreciate the many opportunities and services it provides, both in and out of the classroom. 

There is so much to love about this community and school district. When I asked my children what they love most about the school, their answers are never about the facilities, programs, or security cameras. They love school because of the people. The ones that stand before them inspiring, redirecting, encouraging, and supporting them. These individuals give of themselves with care and compassion that cannot be measured. And it is these incredible people who bring me here tonight. I have the honor of representing the dedicated educators behind me as the president of the Saline Education Association. 

Since COVID, the landscape ofeducation has changed, and the challenges of this profession have only grown. Yet, despite these obstacles, these heroes continue to show up every day. Because they care. Because they believe every child deserves the opportunity to succeed. They are the ones who recognize a spark of potential in a student and ignite their curiosity, opening doors to new possibilities simply because they believe in them.

While they are deeply passionate about their work, passion alone is not enough. They deserve to be fairly compensated for the work they do. The collective bargaining between Saline area schools and the Saline Education Association expired on Dec.  31, 2024. The previous contract negotiated in the fall of 2021 was shaped by the uncertainty surrounding COVID, the economy and public education funding. Given the climate at the time, any pay increases were modest, with zero percent on the scale for most of the staff for the past two years. The district worked with us during the difficult years that followed the crash of the housing market, so we were willing to work with them and prioritize the financial stability of the district. 

Over the course of the three-year contract, record funding flowed into public education, even Beyond Esser relief funds. In this time, per pupil funding increased over 10 percent. Special education funding has grown. The district's fund balance has risen to approximately 24 percent. And most recently, the UAAL, which is a pension liability, was permanently reduced by 5.75 percent. 

Because of our partnership in the past, we trusted that when it was time to negotiate our contract, the district would respond appropriately. We had a history of working together and a relationship with the district built on honesty and trust. While we didn't always agree, we understood one another. Unfortunately, that has changed. Today, we are bargaining with a different Administration and in a different financial climate. Although we are making good progress through language items in the contract, we are struggling to find common ground around the salaries of the people who work closely with children. We have seen substantial increases in revenue and a very healthy fund balance. We have also seen record inflation and increased health care costs that have put a strain on our education educators financially. We believed the district would recognize this. 

Despite all of this, their first financial offer added zero percent to the salary schedule. While there has been some movement from the district, they presented their best and final offer with an unwillingness to recognize the permanent 5.75 percent UAAL reduction. If this partnership was one of honesty we would be able to factor in this new source of revenue. The Saline Education Association has requested mediation from the Michigan Employment Relations Commission. Even our  most senior member of the bargaining team, who has been bargaining the certified staff contract for over two decades, will be going to mediation for the first time. You can see this has not been our practice. 

I didn't want to be here tonight. I didn't want to address you publicly. I wanted to keep the fight behind closed doors. However, the doors were shut on us. After the district presented their final best offer, I reached out to Superintendent Laatsch. I was told he had nothing to discuss with me, and he stood in support of his team. I respect that, and hopefully all of you respect my decision to stand in support of my team, meaning all of these people behind me. 

My team is the heartbeat of this District. We are valued by this community. We bring the facilities and the curriculum to life. My team deserves more than just recognition. We deserve to be compensated fairly for the incredible work we do. We deserve a contract that ensures a comfortable life so we can maintain our focus on the classroom. On our students.

With a growing teacher shortage, we must keep Saline a district that attracts and retains the best talent our community deserves it. Most importantly, our students deserve it. Saline has always been a leader, and we have the opportunity to lead to show educators that working with our youth is valued and appreciated. Make people the priority because at the end of the day, they are the driving force behind all of it. 

Thank you.

Many teachers attended the meeting in solidarity with Corie and her message.

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