Springfield, teachers OK new five-year labor contract
Educators get 2.5 percent raises in each year of the deal
SPRINGFIELD » A five-year contract was approved by the school board and ratified by the Springfield Education Association teachers. The parties were nearly a year in negotiations which led to the agreement effective Nov. 17, 2017-June 30, 2022.
Among the agreement’s major factors are 2.5 percent salary hikes in each year of the contract. Progressive increases are structured in employee costs for health care from 13 percent currently to about 15 percent. In years four and five of the contract, the district will implement a health care plan with a higher deductible but no employee contribution to premiums.
Although some minor changes were made in the other areas, salaries and benefits constituted the major elements of the agreement.
School Director Bruce Lord is chairman of the personnel committee and leader of the board’s negotiating team. He called contract a win-win.
“The teachers have the increases they wanted and very competitive salaries which they deserve. They play the key role in what we have done in the district. On the board side, we were able to implement the health care plan with a high deductible which will result in significant cost savings.”
Lord said although the negotiations took several months after the end of the last contract on June 30, 2017, it was due to a deliberate and smooth process. “It was important that both sides understood all the factors.” He said the focus on health care added several meetings, even up to the last days before votes by both parties.
“I’m very proud of our team. The parties were patient and worked well together,” said Lord. He made special mention of former board member and human resources professional Keith Black who came to the table for the district in a volunteer capacity and was vital to success. the
Following the vote, Mark Schmidt, the union president, said, “The members of the Springfield Education Association have ratified the tentative agreement reached with the Springfield Board of School Directors. We, the SEA, are pleased that our contract negotiations have come to an amicable conclusion. Negotiations are truly an art of compromise, and we feel that this agreement has found a good balance between the needs of our students, the best interests of our teachers, and the best interests of all stakeholders in the Morton and Springfield communities.
“We truly appreciate the hard work of the table teams representing the board and SEA. Negotiations are always a challenging process and we are thankful that both sides diligently and tirelessly bargained in good faith. We also appreciate the positive tone that was maintained through this process.
“Now that negotiations have concluded, and the contract has been ratified by both parties, we look forward to a continued collegial partnership with the school board as we work towards our common goal of helping all our students explore their endless possibilities, giving them the power to attain their ultimate potential.”
The skills of staff and potential of students were illustrated by one other report to the board: the district ranks extremely high in all categories of the state’s School Performance Profile.