Over the past several months, community members in the towns served by RSU 22 (Hampden, Newburgh, Winterport and Frankfort) have expressed their concern about the progress of teacher contract negotiations and questioned the RSU 22 board’s bargaining objectives. We also understand some community members have grown frustrated with the board’s lack of public response to community questions, which may have led to a perception we are not listening to community members or our teachers.
We are listening, but labor negotiations are confidential. Negotiation discussions, however, have now become public through social media. As a result, the board feels compelled to explain its position.
From the outset, the board has sought to increase our teachers’ pay. We understand and appreciate the desire to advocate for our teachers — as many have at board meetings. We, too, are friends and neighbors with teachers. We, too, have children who benefit from their commitment and dedication. The realities of economics and state funding, however, play a limiting role. The collective bargaining process is seldom straightforward. As many are aware through social media, the issues still in dispute between the parties are salaries, health insurance and the merit pay system.
The board has proposed a salary increase over teachers’ 2015 pay of greater than 9 percent over the three-year term of the proposed contract. Teachers would receive an average increase of approximately 2.7 percent, 3.1 percent and 3.5 percent each respective year. Over these three years, teachers would receive an average pay raise of $4,700. This amount would vary for each teacher depending upon where they are on the salary scale.
As an important part of its salary proposal, the board has listened to the teachers’ association regarding the salary scale’s structure. The association’s concerns include the fact it takes 25 years to get to the top of the scale. Additionally, association members expressed concern that the existing structure results in years when teachers do not receive a salary adjustment. In response, we have proposed to reduce the number of steps on the salary scale, resulting in increased lifetime earnings. The board has also proposed adjustments within the scale to ensure most teachers receive a step increase each year of the contract.
The board has proposed to keep current health insurance contribution rates unchanged over the course of the contract. RSU 22 would continue to pay 100 percent of teachers’ coverage and 70 percent of the additional cost of dependent coverage, so long as annual premiums do not rise more than 5 percent each year. If the increase in premiums is higher, teachers would be responsible for the additional cost.
Finally, the board has also agreed to remove the merit pay system whereby teachers can earn up to $1,000 more each year for receiving an outstanding evaluation. The association has stated the merit pay system is demeaning and divisive. While there are sound arguments to be made on both sides of this issue, we have listened to the association and have agreed to eliminate the merit pay program.
But the board is not willing to accept the notion that teachers should receive an automatic salary step increase merely because they have worked an additional year. The board proposed that teachers maintain a basic standard of performance in order to advance a step on the salary scale. This standard includes achieving a rating of “proficient” in classroom management from the district’s evaluation tool, which was implemented with input from the teachers.
The board doesn’t make financial proposals in a vacuum. We recognize we must support our teachers and remain competitive with neighboring school districts. But the community cannot afford to completely revamp the salary scale in one contract. RSU 22 does not have the same tax base and financial resources as the cities of Bangor and Brewer. Furthermore, because RSU 22 is one of the highest state subsidy receivers in our area, when our Legislature does not fully fund General Purpose Aid for education, which it has never done, the negative impact hits our district especially hard. Unfortunately, for 2016-17, we anticipate losing approximately $325,300 in state aid. Still, we remain committed to the proposal we have made to our teachers.
The RSU 22 board is working diligently toward a negotiated agreement that is fair to teachers, taxpayers, the community and our children. The board appreciates all its teachers and staff who work so hard to make education in RSU 22 a success.
Niles Parker is chair of the RSU 22 board of directors.