Finance Board OKs Teachers Pact

By Jan Howard

The Board of Finance has unanimously approved and sent on to the Legislative Council the three-year teachers contract approved recently by the Board of Education after its approval by the teachers union.

The Board of Finance said the contract meets with its approval and recommended that the Legislative Council adopt it.

According to a teacher negotiation summary sheet, the contract calls for salary increases of 2.25, 2.55, and 2.75 percent over the next three years, which combined with salary adjustments for coaching and activity rates, homebound tutoring costs, committee work costs, and employee contributions for medical and dental coverage, brings a net cost of 4.36 percent the first year, 4.34 percent the second year, and 4.10 percent the third year.

The contract takes effect July 1 and expires at the end of 2006/07.

Under the contract, the teachers earn more but pay more for their benefits.

Teacher salaries for this fiscal year cost $22,839,139, minus what they contribute to insurance. Under the new contract, the salary cost would increase $1,080,553 to $23,919,692 in 2004/05; $1,126,602 to $25,046,204 in 2005/06, and $1,186,886 to $26,233,180 in 2006/07.

According to a letter to Superintendent of Schools Dr Evan Pitkoff from attorney Frederick Dorsey of the law firm of Siegel, O’Connor, Zangari, O’Donnell & Beck of Hartford and New Haven, “In looking at the two major economic components of the proposed settlement, premium sharing and salary, the proposed settlement is significantly more favorable than the average Connecticut settlements already negotiated for this time period.”

Mr Dorsey wrote, “The major economic changes in the proposed settlement were, in our opinion, more favorable than the board would have likely achieved in binding arbitration.”

Teachers receive varying salaries, based on degrees obtained and years of experience.

A first year teacher with a bachelor’s degree earning $37,600 in fiscal year 2003/04 would earn $38,446 in 2004/05; $39,426 in 2005/06; and $40,510 in 2006/07.

A teacher with ten years experience and a master’s degree, earning $60,400 this year would earn $61,759 in 2004/05; $63,334 in 2005/06; and $65,076 in 2006.

The proposed settlement raises the current premium shares paid by Newtown teachers from ten percent that is capped at fixed rates, to an uncapped 11 percent for 2004/05, 12 percent for 2005/06, and 14 percent for 2006/07. Mr Dorsey wrote, “This would obviously put Newtown ahead of the average and is consistent with what I have seen in the few settlements occurring this year.”

Mike Portnoy, who was an observer at the negotiations on behalf of the Board of Finance, explained the step increase procedure, which is based on the number of years a teacher has been with the system. “Every year there is a step increase from 1 to 13, with 13 the highest,” he said.

Mr Portnoy noted that the salaries are based on the current teacher population if everyone stayed and if health costs do not go up. “This assumes a static workforce,” he said. “Teachers retire and new teachers are hired at a lower salary. This is the largest case assumption of salary increases.”

He noted, however, that as the student population grows, the numbers will reflect an increase in teachers.

“In making comparisons of what teachers are paid with other towns, we pay our teachers pretty well,” he said. “We are in the top one-third of sectors.”

He noted that most Newtown teachers have a master’s degree, which puts the town in the top quarter in salaries.

Mr Portnoy said many topics were discussed during the negotiations, such as contract language, medical benefits, but in the end “it got down to the numbers.”

He said in the contract, which might have between 20 to 30 or more topics for negotiation, “the hardest are the financial topics.”

Mr Portney said during the negotiations, there are two sides; the teachers’ side, and on the other side, on behalf of the town, is the Board of Education. “It’s sometimes difficult for them to be completely impartial.” He said the Board of Education wants higher salaries so as to be able to attract better-qualified help, but are constrained on the other side by the numbers and the town’s ability to pay.

In answer to Mr Kortze’s question as to whether there are any situations where the Board of Education would not negotiate on behalf of the town, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said that if an impasse ever exists between the board and the schools, the superintendent of schools, in the past, has been asked to “smooth over the rough edges.”

He said former Superintendent of Schools Dr John Reed often was present if there were any language issues in the contract. “He was there to say what to hold firm on, on critical issues, and others where you could give on,” Mr Rosenthal said.

The Legislative Council has 30 days to review the contract. If it were rejected, the contract would go to arbitration, Chairman John Kortze said.