For the last two years, Hazen High School track coach Buddy Ryan has been heading the Renton Coaches Union, attempting to get a better contract for coaches in the Renton School District.

On July 22, in association with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Ryan and fellow Renton coaches received their first offer from the district.

In a media release from AFT Washington, Renton coaches organized when “they realized that they have been underpaid by RSD for many years, including many coaches who were paid below minimum wage, among other unfair working conditions.”

It’s the first offer that the union has ever received from the school district, and Ryan was not pleased with what was offered.

“All we want from the RSD is a fair deal for our first contract. Today’s offer was far from that,” Ryan said in a press release.

The average stipend for a head coach in their first two years in the Renton School District is $5,269.88 — across all sports. As an assistant, that number is $4,440.60 across every sport in the district’s athletic salary schedule.

Kent School District head coaches on average over the same time span make $5,536.25. It’s a difference of $266.37 between the two districts that neighbor each other.

A stark difference between the two districts when comparing compensation is how they deal with tenure. A soccer coach in their tenth year in Renton would make around $6,127.20, in Kent that number for the same postion at ten years is $7,293 a difference of $1,165.80.

The first concession from RSD in the opening offer was offering the rate of inflation (IPD) to the coaches.

“In the process of bargaining this first contract, RSD has chosen again to save money on the backs of their students’ coaches by refusing to agree to a fair wage. The proposal AFT Renton Coaches made for a fair wage was rejected, with RSD offering only IPD. Currently, IPD is about 2.5%,” the union said in the release.

The AFT referred to the offer as “unacceptable” and alleged that Renton coaches turnover at 45% from year to year.

“Retention of coaches will save the district money and give the kids a better experience overall. Students get more out of their programs when they build relationships, whether it’s with a teacher, a coach, or anyone else at their schools,” said Ryan.

This story will be updated when more information is available.