MARYSVILLE — The negotiations between the Marysville School District and the Service Employees International Union Local 925 escalated when about 30 employees braved the cold, wet weather Dec. 14 to picket outside Totem Middle School. That came after close to 50 picketed the district’s service center Dec. 11.

Donna Chrisman, the union president, voiced her objections to working on an expired contract, with not enough staff to cover the cafeteria shifts, and what she deemed insufficient health care and wages to attract new workers.

“Ensuring that there’s adult supervision for those kids is what’s most important,” Chrisman said. “If one of us gets pulled away for another assignment, we don’t have enough folks left to cover for us. If our health care and wages aren’t competitive with the market, we won’t have people to replace us when we get sick or leave.”

Although Chrisman acknowledged that the union and the district had made progress in some areas, she could not comment on the specifics. With the next session with a state mediator scheduled for Dec. 15, she expressed hope that their remaining issues could get settled.

“A lot of our people have to go to work now,” Chrisman said, “which limits how much time they can spend protesting.”

Craig Degginger, director of communications and community relations for the district, contended that the district has made “an extremely fair” offer and bargained “diligently in good faith” with the union since the early spring.

“The district and union have agreed on many items, and there are only three general areas of disagreement remaining,” said Degginger, who noted that both parties had agreed to state mediation.

SEIU members include custodians, maintenance workers, grounds workers, food service staff, paraprofessionals, health room assistants, nurses, bus drivers, dispatchers, bus mechanics, security officers, and staff from the building trades and print shop.

Degginger cited the eclectic needs of this group, and contrary to Chrisman’s claims, he asserted that the district has developed its compensation and benefits offer by examining comparable positions in other regional school districts, complete with wage increases for each position in excess of the state’s 3-percent cost-of-living raise for school employees.

“It has been said publicly that we are bargaining about safety for our students,” Degginger said. “The safety and security of our students is not a bargaining chip at the table, and the district will not allow it to become part of the discussions. The care and supervision of students entrusted to the district is our paramount obligation, and we embrace that responsibility.”