School Committee agrees on 8 percent raise with teachers
Published on September 19th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - The town's School Committee inked a new three year deal with the Stoneham Teacher's Union (STA) this Monday that doles out an eight percent salary increase in exchange for a small health insurance give-back.
After the 200 plus person union, the largest within the municipality, ratified the contract last week, the School Committee also penned their name to the deal during its meeting this Monday night.
In exchange for the cost of living increase, the STA membership agreed to foot an additional two percent of their health insurance expenses. That means that the town will now pay 83 percent of teachers' medical plan bills, while the employees cover the remaining 17 percent of the coverage costs.
Town Administrator David Ragucci, who believed that two percent give-back didn't go far enough, opposed the new collective bargaining agreement during the School Committee meeting this Monday night.
STA President Marlene McArdle, who admits to being nervous about how rank-and-file teachers would respond last week to the potential deal, heralded the cooperation of the School Committee, as well as Supt. Dr. Les Olson and Asst. Supt. Anne Patriquin, for putting a reasonable proposal on the table.
According to McArdle, although teachers were hoping for a little more in the agreement, she's happy that the 18 month negotiation impasse has been broken.
"We were very pleased that it was ratified," said McArdle, who welcomed a return to normalcy within the district. "Everything was so negative last year. Everybody was down and I think the School Committee worked harder to put something on the table that was more palatable."
"Money wise, I don't think it's much more different than what was offered before, but there was a change to the health care," added the STA President, who explained that school officials lowered previous demands for a five percent health insurance contribution increase over two years.
According to Olson and School Committee veteran Marie Christie, they were also happy to put the year-and-a-half collective bargaining impasse behind them.
As to the criticism that the health insurance contribution increase was not large enough, both Christie and Olson described the change as a step in the right direction.
Olson also pointed out that one aspect of the deal also requires that the STA sit down with town officials to discuss inclusion in the state's Group Insurance Plan (GIC). If Stoneham's employee unions were to endorse such a change, the town would save far more on health insurance than it ever could on its own, the supt. argued.
"I think both sides realized that nothing positive was being accomplished and we worked together to start the year on a positive tone," said Christie of the new three year contract, which expires on June 30, 2009.
"It's great to have it done. I was not here for most of the negotiations, but I know what a toll it takes on the union, the administration, and the School Committee," Olson commented. "The teachers, from everything I've heard, didn't let this color their work, but it was a distraction for everybody."
The break down of the eight percent increase will include a zero percent retroactive pay raise for last year.
This year, teachers will receive a 3 percent increase from the start of the fiscal year, to be followed by another 1 percent hike mid-way through the year.
During the last year of the deal, STA members will receive a 2.5 percent increase at the start of the fiscal year, to be followed by a 1.5 percent raise in the middle of the year.
The new agreement also includes changes to non-salary related items, including:
• Elementary School teachers will now be guaranteed four prep periods per week;
• Retirees can donate up to 15 of their sick days to the sick leave bank;
• Teachers, who can accrue up to 160 sick days, are now allowed to allocate ten percent of that bank for leave from work that's caused by a significant family illness.
Not big fans of the contract
While school officials and STA officers heralded the new collective bargaining agreement, Ragucci and Selectman John DePinto blasted the contract as one that will force Stoneham into a deficit position.
According to DePinto, upon hearing of the contract provisions, he immediately went to Town Accountant Ron Florino, who predicted that Stoneham would face a $2 million deficit next year if all the town's unions accepted a similar deal.
Town officials were already predicting a $700,000 deficit in FY'09.
The Selectman, who chastised the School Committee for jumping ship and breaking an agreed upon negotiating strategy, argued that the contract puts the Town Administrator in a tough spot.
"All the other unions are going to be asking for at least that much now. I don't know what Dave is going to do with negotiations, because now his hands are tied," said DePinto.
"What I thought we were going to try for was 5 to 10 percent on health insurance. Two percent basically does nothing for us," the Selectman furthered. "We're now looking at a $2 million deficit next year. That raise brings us from $700,000 to $2 million."
According to Ragucci, while the teachers' contract will make negotiations with the town's other unions more difficult, he has no plans to offer a similar proposal.
"Certainly, the unions must be sitting there thinking they're going to be treated similarly, but I've made it clear that health insurance has to be part of the negotiations," said Ragucci.
"I will not and cannot enter into contracts that I feel will create deficits in the future. The School Committee did what they wanted to, and that's certainly they're prerogative, but the buck stops here, so to speak."
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