N. Hartford teacher contract OK'd

Dec 19, 2007 @ 06:50 AM

By CHINKI SINHA

Observer-Dispatch

NEW HARTFORD – Teachers have secured annual raises of 4.75 percent and will hold on to their current health care contribution under a new contract passed Tuesday.

In exchange, members of the New Hartford Teachers Association will see an increase in insurance co-payments and deductibles.

Specific details of the contract were not available Tuesday evening.

After negotiating for more than five months, five board members voted Tuesday to approve the three-year contract.

CONTRACT AT A GLANCE

Yearly salary increases: Estimated salary increases for 2007-2008 through 2009-2010 fiscal years is 4.75 percent.

Health care: District’s contribution toward employees’ health care costs remains at 95 percent.

The terms will become retroactive from June 30, 2007, the date the previous contract expired, officials said.

While Robert Cailli abstained from voting, Board President George Shaheen II opposed the new contract that will keep the school district paying for 95 percent of employee health insurance.

“I was hopeful of more gains,” he said.

Shaheen said he wanted teachers to contribute more toward the health care costs.
With rising medical inflation, many school districts in the region and across the nation are wrestling with health care costs.

Personnel costs, including benefits and salary, make up about 80 percent of the school district’s budget.

But Superintendent Daniel Gilligan said the district did its best and realized net savings of $280,000 through increases in employee co-payments and deductibles. Three years ago, it was just $70,000 a year, he said.

“We did not change the contribution rate but (gained) more savings through co-pays,” he said.

Under the new collective bargaining contract terms, the district also agreed to a 4.75 percent salary increase for the employees, officials said.

Under the expired contract, it was about 4 percent.

The increase will be offset by summer sabbatical and tax deferred plan savings, Gilligan said.

New Hartford Teachers’ Union President James McNair said he was happy with the new contract.

“We were glad the school district was willing to look at something else than contribution,” he said. “There’s always give and take.”

Deborah Dowling, vice president of the union, said the compensation is part of the whole package.

“Our contribution is fair,” she said. “We are happy to go to our Christmas break now.”