Teachers’ union makes counteroffer to Chambersburg Area School District [Public Opinion, Chambersburg, Pa.]

Nov. 30--Chambersburg Area School District's board ignored a counteroffer from the teachers' union this month, the last contract action under the district's lame-duck school board.

A new board takes over Dec. 7 with three new members. According to the union, negotiations on a new contract start over with a new board.

School board member Stanley Helman announced earlier this month the district was unable to reach terms on a contract extension with the teacher's union. Chambersburg Area Education Association made adjustments to the district's proposal and sent it back prior to the Nov. 16 board meeting.

The association had planned a follow-up meeting to vote on the proposal if the school board accepted.

As it turns out, it wasn't necessary. The board didn't put the proposal to a vote and union officials said they understood it wouldn't be reviewed.

"We all know and feel how difficult contract negotiations can be," said new CAEA president Lauren Stickell. "It is stressful for everyone involved. This past contract was a very long and drawn-out process -- and we just signed it in March. It just feels way too soon to start the negotiation process again."

The district offered teachers a 3-percent raise each year of a two-year contract.

According to information provided by the district, the take-home pay for the average teacher who has family benefits would increase $3,009.12 in the first year and $1,720.92 in the second year. The number is lower in the

second year because the offer included teachers covering a larger portion of insurance premiums.

CAEA countered with a three-year contract offer with 3-percent raises in all three years.

The district's offer included a reduction in reimbursable college credits to 12 per year.

CAEA countered with a cap of 18 credits per year.

"This cap would allow for the legal requirements needed to complete an educational sabbatical," said Stickell. "We also were thinking about new teachers and the fact that they must complete so many credits within a certain time frame in order to keep their certification to teach valid and current.

"We talked about that quite a bit. There are probably 30 teachers who might take 18 credits per year. It's not a huge number of people."

In the district's proposal, health care options also changed. To maintain the current family coverage, the most an employee would pay in either year is $2,400 for coverage. For the family plan, employees would pay $1,200 plus a differential between the cost of the two plans which accounts for the max deduction.

In the second option, employees wouldn't pay for coverage in exchange for a larger deductible.

In CAEA's counter, it dropped the "differential costs," but increased the premium share. Teachers currently pay 9 percent for the current plan. CAEA proposed incremental increases of up to 1 percent per year in each year of the contract, said Stickell.

The district also wanted to freeze coaching stipends for two years. CAEA proposed coaches receive a 3 percent raise the first year, take a zero in the second year and 3 percent the third year, Stickell said.

"We are all very thankful that we have jobs," said Stickell. "It's not easy on any of us to have retired teachers' positions not refilled. School boards are having a more difficult time running school districts with over $860 million cut from public education."

The district and the teachers' union just wrapped up negotiations of a two-year contract in April. The teachers agreed to a pay freeze for the 2010-11 school year and a 3 percent raise that was not included on the salary schedule in the current school year. The union also made concessions in health care.

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Brian Hall can be reached at 262-4811 and bkhall@publicopinionnews.com.

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