Schools
School Board OKs Six-Year Teachers Contract
Deal includes pay freeze for this year; 7 percent hike overall.
After more than a year of negotiations, the has forged a six-year collective bargaining agreement with the Bensalem Township Education Association that includes a pay freeze in the current school year.
"I think a long contract serves the stability of the district. It helps us plan educationally and it recognizes the strong collaboration between teachers and the district." said Superintendent Dave Baugh.
"After 17 months of hard work we got to a contract that everyone can live with, and no one is completely happy about—everyone sacrificed to make this happen. It's a tribute to teachers who recognize the economic difficulty in the region and their dedication to the kids."
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"Six years of labor peace is huge."
The Board of School Directors unanimously approved the contract on a 7-0 vote Wednesday night, as Matthew Grodsky and Pamela Strange were absent. The association OK'd it May 15.
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The contract, which is retroactive to July 1, 2011, calls for annual pay increases totaling 7.2 percent. They begin in December of this year with 1.5 percent in each of the second and third years of the deal, followed by annual increases of 0.5, 1.5 and 2.2 percent.
The starting salary of a teacher with a bachelor's degree will rise this December from $47,440 to $48,152.
Teacher and other members of the Bensalem Township Education Association, totaling about 450, will be paying more toward their health care under an Independence Blue Cross Personal Choice plan.
Employees' contributions to premiums will rise in the current school year from 10 to 12 percent, followed by annual percentages of 14, 16, 14, 16 and 17.
Co-pays for visits to primary care physicians will rise from $15 to $20 and specialist visits will climb from $25 to $30.
In addition, teacher work days will increase from 190 to 192 in year five of the contract.
In addition to the BTEA, the union representing about 50 cafeteria workers will have a new, four-year contract when their current deal expires in July. That group also will see a pay freeze in the first year, followed by a total of a 5 percent hike over the length of the pact. The annual percentage increases will be 2, 1.5, and 1.5.
The Board of School Directors also unanimously approved that contract on a 7-0 vote Wednesday night.
Information provided by Bensalem School District.
