Teachers Contract Now Final
by Nancy Wood,
March 16, 2011…..

The Charlotte Central School (CCS) Board voted at the meeting Tuesday night, March 15, to ratify the three-year agreement reached on February 17 between the Chittenden South Supervisory Union (CSSU) school boards and the Chittenden South Education Association, that represents teachers at CSSU schools.

The teachers and the other school boards in the district (CSSU, CVU, Hinesburg, Shelburne and Williston) all ratified the contract last week, so, with the CCS ratification, the agreement is now final.

The 4-1 vote was on a motion by Sue Thibault, seconded by Kristin Wright, to “ratify the tentative agreement reached between the boards' negotiation team and the Chittenden South Education Association for a successor collective bargaining agreement effective July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2013 as outlined in the ratification memorandum.” It was supported by board chair Lynne Jaunich, Edorah Frazer (attending her first meeting as the newest board member),Thibault and Wright. Clyde Baldwin said he was opposed because the final agreement eliminated the step language that would have suspended automatic step increases in salary when a new contract has not been signed. He said that clause would have benefited the whole community in the long term, helping to control costs, and expressed disappointment that the negotiating team for the schools “gave it away at the last minute” after holding firm throughout the months of talks.

Jaunich said on Wednesday, “This is a weight off our back, and will make the budget cycle easier next year. I’m looking forward the boards and teachers working together before the next contract cycle for a more positive way to conduct negotiations.”

Lisa Bisbee, Chief Negotiator for the CSEA, said, "We are pleased that the boards stayed at the table with us until we reached an agreement that is fair to us, fair to the taxpayers and good for our schools. We believe the boards recognized the importance of negotiating until the job was done, and the 3-year contract we have will ensure that we can continue to focus on our students."

Bisbee added, "Under the new contract, teachers will receive modest raises, and pay 3% more for health care. We are grateful to have a multi-year contract in place."

The new agreement will cost approximately $23,000 more than provided for in the FY2012 CCS budget voted at Town Meeting. Board members offered differing opinions about whether it should be taken from the salary and benefits line items, or from operations, maintenance and supplies. Co-principals Audrey Boutaugh and Greg Marino have been asked to provide more detail during April about their recommendations. Other variables, such as unexpected changes in staff (none predicted at this time) and in health benefit choices, could affect the amount needed to be found.

Another issue raised by Baldwin at the Tuesday evening meeting was what he perceived as an attempt to prevent him from voting on ratification when the boards met in February. Questions had been raised about a potential conflict of interest because his wife is a teacher at another school in the CSSU district. He said this has been brought up before during his 20 year tenure on the board, and the Secretary of State has confirmed, including in this instance, that there is no conflict. Wright, who had raised the issue, and Superintendent Elaine Pinkney, who had been asked to research it, both apologized for any misunderstanding about their intentions, which Wright described as an effort to make sure there was no question about the validity of the ratification vote.

The basic details of the new contract agreement include the following:

• Three year agreement retroactive to July 1, 2010, and ending June 30, 2013.

• New money for teacher salaries of 2% FY 2011 (current year), 3% FY 2012, and 3% FY 2013.

• Increase teacher contributions to health insurance premiums from 12% to 13% on
March 1, 2011, 14% on July 1, 2011, and 15% on June 30, 2013.

• $5,000 severance pay to teachers who meet the criteria who announce their
retirements by November 1 annually paid in two equal installments of $2,500 each in
July of the two fiscal years following retirement.

• Each board will have the right, on its own, to enter into negotiations with the
Association to offer an early retirement program for that district only in any year of the contract. No board is required to ever do this, but has the option if it so desires.

• The parties have agreed to a timely schedule for negotiations in 2012-2013 that
would require that a fact finder's report be issued by June 30 to avoid issues on
either side related to delaying the process, etc.

• Also included in the agreement are language changes regarding the use of personal and bereavement days, lunch and prep time, and establishing a committee to review the current seniority system.