(Atlantic) The Atlantic School Board and the Atlantic Education Association entered into the first round of contract negotiations on Wednesday.
Mike McDermott, President of the Atlantic Education Association, proposed a base pay increase of $300.00 from $32,124.00 to $32,424.00. This figures out to about a 3-percent raise. In addition to that, the Education Association proposed a 3-percent pay increase for all coaching positions and other extra-curricular activity positions.
Emily K. Ellingson, the Board of Education Attorney, countered with a base wage increase of 1.68-percent and proposed an alternative compensation level. “At the end of last year’s negotiations, we all agreed we would have in a place and alternative compensation model,” stated Ellingson. “Based on the work that many school districts have done, we are going along the lines of this model.”
According to the proposal, each lane has its base wage, and the 1.68-percent increase each year is reflected on that base wage. The district is also proposing a change in the TSS re-distribution schedule. The proposed base wage increases include; BA, $925.00, BA+15, $962, BA+30, $999.00, BA+50, $1,036.00, MA+15, $1,076.00, and an MA+30, $1,110.00. Under the proposal, employees will receive at least the named increase. If an employee receives a greater amount due to an increase in TSS payments, then the employee will receive the greater amount.
“The goal is to increase that starting wage for the beginning teacher,” stated Ellingson. “And to ensure that the district is rewarding the teachers that have been here the longest and receive a fair and equitable increase comparable to all the other co-workers sprinkled throughout the salary schedule.
“The re-distribution plan will result in no loss of money for any employee sitting on the current salary schedule,” said Ellingson. “Some employees will see a significant increase in their combined salary from the TSS re-distribution plan, but no employees will see a loss in their combined salary from the TSS re-distribution plan.”
“Their proposal is based on a flat dollar amount and any mathematician will tell you a flat dollar amount doesn’t necessarily help some veteran teachers,” said Education Association President Mike McDermott when asked about his reaction to the Board’s proposal. “We have a step increase where younger teachers get a little bit more. When you drop down a step you receive a few more funds and we think that’s important. I remember when I was a young teacher it was important to get to that next step to put food on the table and put gas in the old pickup. That’s important to our people and we’re going to continue to move forward with that.”
McDermott says the Education Association will cost the Board’s proposal and the Board will do the same with the Education’s offer, to make sure the numbers lineup. He says the alternative payment schedule is not necessarily something they disagree with, “but in the end, it’s what you take home that matters”.
The Master Contract would be valid on July 1, 2020, ending on June 30, 2022. The reason for the two-year contract is to avoid having the negotiation discussion next year, and teachers will know what their compensation will be the following year, and the district will know what to budget.
The Education Association and the Atlantic School Board will meet again in a closed session on March 18 at 3:30 p.m.
