Contract Details Released, 3-year Contract Includes 8% New Money
by Nancy Wood,
February 24, 2011.....

Using Vermont's public records law, The Burlington Free Press acquired details of the tentative agreement between the CSSU school boards and the teachers, represented by the Chittenden South Education Association (CSEA). In an article in this morning's Free Press, Scott Cameron, chief negotiator for CSSU, said, "The teachers' union wanted contract details withheld until after the union votes, Cameron said, because it had not briefed its members before they left on vacation Friday. The settlement was reached the evening of Feb. 17. Cameron said he appreciates the union's position but determined in a review of the public records law with school board members and Superintendent Elaine Pinckney to release the information."

The Free Press was unable to reach the union representatives.

According to the Free Press, the tentative agreement includes 8% new money over three years: 2% in the current year, 3% in fiscal year 2012 and 3% in fiscal year 2013. The fiscal year 2012 budgets that will be voted at Town Meeting next Tuesday include only a 2% allowance for salaries, so the extra 1% will have to be taken from other programs or personnel.

The teachers' share of health insurance will increase from 12% to 15% by the end of the three years. The current cost of the family health insurance plan provided at CSSU is over $18,000.

Due to the now-public information in The Burlington Free Press, the CSSU district office sent out a press release at 6:42 a.m. this morning, that is dated yesterday. Here is the press release in full:

Chittenden South Supervisory Union
Teacher Negotiation Update

February 23, 2011

The Boards of the Chittenden South Supervisory Union School Districts (Champlain Valley Union High School, Charlotte, Hinesburg, Shelburne and Williston) and the Chittenden South Education Association are pleased to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached on a new three year contract. This agreement comes about as the result of over a year of negotiations that entailed much hard work and compromise by both the Boards and the teachers.

During the meeting on February 17, 2011 the two parties agreed to the following regarding the outstanding economic issues:

• New money to be used for teacher salary increases will be 2% for the current school year (2010-2011), and 3% for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. The boards’ budgets for 2011-2012 reflect 2% new money and this will not change for the budgets to be voted on at Town Meeting day. The additional 1% will have to be found within the proposed budgets. This is below the county average for the current year and at the current county average for settled contracts for the next two years.

• Teachers will increase their contributions to health insurance premiums from 12% to 15% by the end of the three year agreement. This is at or above the current county average for settled agreements.

The Association and Boards will meet between now and March 9, 2011 to ratify this agreement. Drafts of the revised collective bargaining agreement will be available as soon as they are finalized after ratification.

A summary of the fact finder’s report and the former positions of both parties before the meeting on February 17, 2011 are attached as a reference.