RSS Feed
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
WBSD and teachers agree to new contract Teachers in West Babylon negotiated a four-year contract agreement calling for salary increase of 3, 3, 2.5 through July, 2007, an additional 1 percent effective January 1, 2008 and zero percent the final year. The contract runs through June 30, 2009 and West Babylon officials called the agreement fair and said it served both the community and teaching staff. "Both sides made concessions, which is why they call it negotiations," said School Board President Carmine Galletta. "The community has asked us to be fiscally responsible and the fact that there is a zero percent increase in the fourth year I think speaks volumes." In addition to the regular salary increases, coaches and co-curricular stipends increased 3, 3, 3.5 and zero percent and longevity pay was increased from $500 to $650 a year at Step 18. West Babylon's teaching unit consists of approximately 181 members. The annual entry level salary before the new contract was $40,907. Top level teachers earn $104,783, and teachers contribute ten percent toward their health insurance coverage. They will contribute 12 percent effective July 1, 2006; 14 percent effective July 1, 2007 and 15 percent effective July 1, 2008. Teachers work 182 days a year, including three conference days. Elementary teachers work 6 hours and 45 minutes a day, while secondary level teachers have five classes, one duty and one preparatory period a day. The district had been at impasse and went to fact finding, a process that allows both sides to present factual information. That information is reviewed by a fact finder who then makes recommendations about a settlement, which are non-binding. "Our community can afford to pay only so much in taxes and our teachers showed their professionalism throughout the negotiation process so that our children's education did not miss a beat," commented Galletta. Superintendent of Schools Mel Noble said he was pleased with the agreement and that it represented a fair response to the needs of the staff and the community.
Several messages left at the West Babylon Teachers Association office asking for their comment on the agreement were not returned.
|
for larger version       |
||||||||||||||||||
