BY DARRELL HALEN

Because Pelham voters rejected a new teachers’ contract earlier this month, representatives of the teachers union and the school board will need to work out a new agreement.

That new agreement could go before voters at a special school district meeting or at the next regular elections in March 2008.

“You could wait a year, but if you can tie it up, let’s get it done,” said school board Chairman Michael Conrad.
The 2007-10 contract, which was not recommended by the budget committee, was rejected in a 1,187 to 1,491 vote.

The agreement would have provided pay increases of $2,430 in the first year, $2,340 in the second year and $2,455 in the third year.

Average annual increases would have been roughly 5 percent, with lower-paid teachers earning more and veteran educators drawing less. 

A first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree would have seen her current salary of $31,340 go up about 7 percent to $33,770 next year.

The contract would have also provided a one-time 3.5 percent increase in pay for extracurricular positions.

Some opponents of the contract have argued that the raises are too high and that teachers are contributing too little toward their health insurance.

Under the agreement, the school district would contribute 83 percent in the first year, 82 percent in the second year, and 80 percent in the third year of the most expensive health care plans.

For less expensive plans chosen by teachers, the district would pay more.

Under the previous contract, the school district paid 85 percent of the most expensive plans.

Sue Harden, the president of the teacher’s union, said the 5 percent the teachers are picking up was a fair compromise with the school board, which wanted teachers to contribute more toward health insurance.

Without a new contract, salaries and benefits remain level for the union’s 147 members.

“They’re very frustrated and not happy obviously ... It doesn’t make for good morale,” Harden said.

Harden said salaries, the salary schedule and health insurance may have to be tweaked in reaching a new agreement.

“That’s probably what we have to look at to get approval by the budget committee and passed by the voters,” Harden said.

The contact also called for a committee, consisting of members appointed by the school board and the teachers union, to study less expensive health insurance options.

“You can’t do that on a whim,” Harden said. “It takes a study.”

The group would begin its work before Jan. 1, 2009 and provide its recommendations by June 30, 2009.