Idaho teachers union, district hire mediator

The Associated Press • Published July 19, 2008 A northcentral Idaho school district where conflicts over teacher salaries have in the past resulted in leadership turnover has hired a mediator in hopes of resolving the latest dispute. The Potlatch School District and the Potlatch Education Association teachers union failed to settle their salary negotiations during an 11-hour mediation session earlier this month. Impasses over salaries three years ago contributed to the departure of then-Superintendent Charles Stefani. Now, the school district and the PEA will pay between $700 and $1,200 per day for outside help in resolving the current dispute. Teachers want a 5 percent hike in pay. Mark Moorer, a Potlatch School Board trustee and one of the district's negotiators, said it can't afford more than 2.5... [read full story]