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Liberty board, teachers OK pact
The contract will be for one year.
LIBERTY — School board members and the Liberty Association of School Employees, which represents faculty and staff in the district, have reached a one-year contract agreement.
The agreement, which calls for a 1.6 percent raise in base salaries, was ratified by union members Monday. Board members voted to accept the agreement Wednesday morning.
Superintendent Mark Lucas said the 1.6 percent raise is the only change in the new contract.
“We have a strong student body, a supportive community and a staff that is totally committed to achieving excellence,” Lucas said. “This contract exemplifies all sides’ desire to work together cooperatively and productively.”
Before the 1.6 percent pay increase a teacher with a bachelor’s degree in the district starts at an annual rate of $29,308. The pay scale goes up to $64,712 annually for a teacher with a master’s degree plus 30 hours of education.
Lucas said health care contributions from employees will remain the same. Employees in the PPO pay $20 per month for a single-person plan and $40 per month for a family plan. Those in the HMO pay $10 per month for a single plan and $20 per month for a family plan.
The board will continue to pay 90 percent of employees’ dental coverage.
Lucas said the board and union agreed to a one-year contract to allow time for some of the changes in the district to settle.
“We figured at this point that with two new board members and changes in the curriculum, we want to take a year on both sides and evaluate then come back and take a look at it and try to negotiate for a longer period of time,” he said. “There is just so much going on, we need time to evaluate and see where things go with everything — curriculum, health care, everything.”
Board President Gloria Lang said the agreed-upon increases in pay fall in line with the district’s budget. She said the board and union plan to work together in the coming years to find cost-saving ideas for the district.
“We are thinking that we will be OK this coming year, but after that for the coming years there are a number of issues that we and the association plan to tackle together like health care and other things that can save money,” she said.
A committee of union members, board members and health professionals has been formed to take a close look at the district’s health care plan and see what other options are available, Lucas said.
jgoodwin@vindy.com