AEA Bargaining Team Update
From President Corey Aist:
“Community involvement in this process is critical. The Anchorage Education Association has one primary objective as we negotiate our next contract with the Anchorage School District: the retention of our educators. The most crucial factor in student success is having exceptional educators in every classroom and learning space. By working together to retain our professional educators, AEA and ASD can achieve ASD’s mission of ‘educating all students for success in life.
To meet this objective, we must address both retention and workload as more than half of ASD’s certified employees—over 1,500 individuals—have resigned or retired over the past four years, primarily driven by the lure of more competitive salaries and benefits offered by urban districts in the Lower 48 or by opportunities outside the education field entirely.
By pulling back the curtains and having our sessions open, we will find creative solutions that work for everyone and focus on student success.”
August 23, 2025 Update
Dear Members,
The AEA and ASD Bargaining Teams have declared impasse. Representatives from both sides met yesterday afternoon to discuss the situation. (Joint statement here.) In review, last Wednesday, August 20, 2025, AEA and ASD bargaining teams returned to the table in open bargaining. Thank you to all the members who came and supported the AEA Bargaining Team.
After reviewing the updated proposals on financial articles, both sides concluded that we are far apart on the last few articles. (AEA Proposal. ASD Proposal.) We will now proceed to mediation, where a neutral, federal mediator will assist the two sides in reaching an agreement.
AEA and ASD will work together to schedule mediation as soon as a federal mediator is available. The federal mediator will come to Alaska, and negotiations will continue. During mediation, the two teams do not meet directly. Instead, each team remains in its own space while the mediator moves between them, helping to bridge differences and guide both sides toward an agreement. This process has proven successful before—since 2006, when AEA and ASD last had to move beyond mediation into non-binding arbitration.
Over the past 10 months of negotiations, your bargaining team has secured meaningful gains across multiple areas of the contract. (Updates and Articles.) We remain hopeful that mediation will lead to a tentative agreement that meets the needs of our educators. Our unwavering focus is on delivering a collective bargaining agreement that strengthens your financial security, supports educator retention, and improves your working conditions.
In Solidarity,
Your AEA Bargaining Team
Lem Wheeles, Chairperson (Dimond High)
Christian Haich, Spokesperson (Polaris K12)
Creed Campbell (King Tech)
Sonja Kenning (Northwood Elementary)
Michaela Kolerok (West High)
Amber King (Ravenwood Elementary)
Keri Lierman (Chugiak High)
Karen Grey-Levine (Rogers Park Elementary)
Brian Nelson (Retired)
Adam Reid (AKChoice)
Courtney Eyer (Uniserv Director)
Jessica Minguez (Uniserv Director)