Austintown teachers to vote on contract

AUSTINTOWN — Teachers in the Austintown School District are expected to vote on a contract Tuesday.

Alf Nelson, Ohio Education Association representative for the Austintown Education Association, said teachers met Monday afternoon to hear another contract proposal from the school board.

Nelson said bargaining representatives believe the new proposal resolves the issue of planning time for teachers, which has been the sticking point in contract talks that have been going on since last spring.

Nelson said he would not discuss the new proposal further.

In previous proposals, teachers have appeared willing to accept a 1 percent raise the first year of the new contract and no raise the second.

They have also agreed to an 8.5 percent health-care premium pickup.

Their salaries range from $29,000 to more than $66,000.

Health care costs the district $1,008 a month for family coverage and $415 a month for single coverage.

Premium pickups are now 7 percent, or $70.60 for family coverage, and $29.06 for single coverage.

Those figures would rise under the new proposal to $85.72 for family coverage and $35.29 for single coverage.