Three-year Schalmont teacher contract approved Tuesday, April 29, 2008 By Justin Mason (Contact) Gazette Reporter
ROTTERDAM — District officials and members of the Schalmont Teachers Association have agreed on a new three-year contract, bringing to an end negotiations that spanned more than two years. Members of the district’s Board of Education on Monday approved the 200-member union’s new contract, which closely mirrors suggestions offered last month by a fact-finder from the state Public Employment Relations Board. One of the most significant suggestions made by the fact-finder was that the teachers agree to switch from the district’s self-funded health plan to preferred provider organization insurance through the Capital Area School Health Insurance Consortium. The self-funded plan, which covers 24 union members and 88 retired teachers, was dropped by Schalmont’s other two unions and is used by only one other district in the county. School board chairman Michael DellaVilla said the switch should save Schalmont roughly $320,000 during the 2008-2009 school year. In return, the teachers will receive an average annual salary increase of 3.5 percent. The pay hike will be retroactive and cover all three years of the contract, district Superintendent Valeri Kelsey said. The contract will expire in 14 months. “It’s just a three-year agreement,” she said. “We’ll be back to the drawing board next January.”
So they get a 3.5% increase/yr retro active. What have they gotten over the past 2 years for increases?
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ROTTERDAM Board approves teachers’ contract Union agrees to switch health insurance BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
Schalmont School District and its Teacher’s Association have agreed on a three-year contract, concluding two years of negotiations. Members of the Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved the 200-member union’s new contract, which closely mirrors suggestions offered last month by a fact-finder from the state Public Employment Relations Board. One key point was that the teachers agree to switch from the district’s self-funded health plan to insurance through the Capital Area School Health Insurance Consortium. The self-funded plan, which covers 24 union members and 88 retired teachers, was dropped by Schalmont’s other two unions and is only used by one other district in the county. School board President Michael DellaVilla said the switch should save Schalmont roughly $320,000 during the 2008-09 school year and will prevent the district from facing unexpected liability under the former plan. “This is a good first step, and we’re heading in the right direction,” he said Tuesday. In return, the teachers will receive an average annual salary increase of 3.5 percent, in addition to their normal step increases. The pay hike will be retroactive and cover all three years of the contract, but won’t affect the district’s recently adopted $41.5 million 2008-09 budget proposal, district Superintendent Valeri Kelsey said. The new contract clarifies elements of the teacher’s previous agreement with the district, including such items as how long they have to prepare for the opening of the school day. Teachers also avoided a 10 percent hike in health insurance contributions by 2010, as the district had initially proposed. Mary Beth Flatley, the interim president of the teacher’s association, was pleased with the new contract. She said the new agreement represents concessions from both sides. Flatley said she hopes the union and district can come to a more timely agreement in the future. “We don't want to be put back in this situation,” she said. Likewise, Kelsey was pleased with the agreement, but stressed its limited duration. The contract will expire in 14 months. “It’s just a three-year agreement,” she said. “We'll be back to the drawing board next January.”
The public sector has got to realize that NYS taxpayers just can't continue on this path. However I do think the Schalmont contract was fair.
Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil, The Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Gee, how I read this, they immediately get a 10.5% raise, and the health insurance that they we pay for doesn't cost anything additional out of their pockets.
I work for a health insurance company and can't get that kind of deal. I'm sorry that it took them so long to get this deal, but they could have decided on this a long time ago. They should have to pay an additional part of their health insurance costs, and I think this is one area of this contract that should be STRONGLY negotiated on the side of the school district against the teachers union next year. Let's remember to remind them that for at least 3 years, they had no change in the amount that they were expected to pay towards their insurance, meaning that the residents had to pick up the additional costs. Maybe next time, they can pay some of their own bill?
Fair, I guess, if it's what both sides decided on. However, I think with additional benefits (a 10.5% raise seems like a nice "benefit"), should also come additional responsibilities (costs).
Luke 12:48b
Quoted Text
From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.
I know that this wasn't in response to asking people to pay their fair share of their insurance premiums at the time, but it does apply to some aspect, wouldn't you say?
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