Lebanon nears teachers’ contract

Now-expired pact includes raises of 5.25% over 2 years.

The Lebanon LEBANON —

Board of Education is close to settling an expired contract with teachers that includes raises of 5.25 percent over two years.

If the contract is ratified by the union, the district’s 300-plus teachers should get extra pay retroactive to the beginning of the current school year “by the first checks in December 2018,” according to a tentative agreement signed by school officials and union representatives Oct. 16.

The teachers are to get a 3 percent increase and 24 paychecks beginning in the 2019-2020 year. New teachers would get 25 paychecks in their first year and 24 in subsequent years.

Both sides would withdraw unfair labor practice filings with the National Labor Relations Board. Supplemental contract terms are also part of the tentative settlement.

The district is still negotiating with classified workers, according to Treasurer Eric Sotzing.

The Lebanon Board of Education was scheduled to meet Monday night to consider the tentative deals. This year, teachers unions across the region were pursuing new contracts, which typically run for two years.

Some districts, including Springboro, avoided labor issues by reaching settlements before the school year began in August. The Springboro teachers agreed to 2 percent raises in each of the next two years, while secretaries, bus drivers, aides and other classified employees were to get 2.25 percent.

The Lebanon deal was reached after the last board meeting, Sotzing said in an email.

For the teachers, each 1 percent of salary and associated benefits is projected to cost the district $231,000.

Local teachers union officials and the local’s Ohio Education Association representative did not respond to questions.