Sean C. Morgan
Bargaining teams for School District 55 and the Sweet Home Education Association Thursday exchanged proposals with no increases in the district’s teacher salary schedules.
The negotiations are part of a re-opener of the teachers’ two-year agreement for compensation only.
The teachers received step increases in the current school year, 2010-11, but no increases in insurance benefits or increases to the salary schedule.
The district is proposing no steps, no increase to the salary schedule and no increase in insurance benefits for 2011-12.
The teachers’ union proposes step increases and a $90 increase in insurance benefits, from $880 per month toward insurance to $970 per month.
The teachers also are asking that money saved by any employees opting out of insurance benefits be pooled to help pay insurance premiums for those who choose to take insurance.
Step increases are increments on the salary schedule, typically granted annually. Normally, each of the 18 steps of the teachers’ salary schedule is increased by a particular percentage as the result of negotiations.
The salary schedule also has several columns based on education level. A teacher with a master’s degree receives more than a teacher with only a bachelor’s degree. Both proposals allow teachers to advance to higher columns based on their continuing education.
The teachers also propose a longevity stipend for teachers who have been with the district for 15 years or longer. Those teachers would receive $50 per year of service on their November checks.
“We are in the third year of severe revenue and budgetary shortfalls,” said Jeff Heinrich, an Oregon School Board’s Association labor consultant representing the district. “Our intent with this proposal is to secure cost neutrality with this salary schedule.”
As a result, the district is reserving the right to reduce the salary schedule if negotiations continue into fiscal year 2011-12, which begins on July 1, proportionate to any step increases that take effect by default. If a contract is not settled before the beginning of the next fiscal year, the existing contract continues status quo, and steps are automatically granted.
The district’s Budget Committee has presented a proposal with an ending fund balance of less than 1 percent of the General Fund, Heinrich said. “I think everybody would agree that taking an ending fund balance below 1 percent is dangerous.”
As a result, the district is looking for furlough days in the 2011-12 school year, he said. The district needs to reach an agreement with its unions to implement furlough days, and it is looking for commitments from all groups. The two sides agreed to consider the proposals and planned to meet again on May 31.