Published: October 11, 2008 01:49 am            

Teacher contract gets OK from NA-FC educators, now it’s on to school board

In a 523 to 26 vote, teachers with the New Albany-Floyd County Education Association passed a tentative three-year contract agreement.

That agreement includes a 2.5 percent raise for all three years, including last year, which would be paid retroactively. This contract covers the current school year as well as next.

There were 633 teachers eligible to vote and 549 voted.

As part of the contract, teachers will also have additional planning time. By January 2010, elementary teachers will have 4.5 planning periods compared to the three they have now. However, the goal was five.

Bargaining team member and elementary teacher Michele Adams fought for the additional planning time.

“I’m pleased,” Adams said of the contract in a previous interview. “We didn’t get all the time we were hoping for, but this is a major victory for elementary teachers.”

The contract will now go on to the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. Board of School Trustees for approval. The board does have the power to deny it.

Mark Kessans, president of the teachers’ association, told a group of educators Wednesday during a ratification meeting that he has been told that a “significant number” of board members are “not comfortable” with the contract. He warned teachers to not get too excited yet that this is over.

Kessans also told the group that when the corporation made the offer, the association was told if they took it, the corporation would have to make $1.2 million in expenditure reductions.

Bill Briscoe, assistant to the superintendent for administration and operations, did not verify nor deny the accusation Wednesday.

“We feel it would be inappropriate to comment at this time because the Board of School Trustees has not yet voted to ratify the contract,” he said via e-mail.

Doug Taylor, former president and current bargaining member on the association’s team, said at the ratification hearing that this is nothing new.

“We have heard expenditure reductions every year, so it’s no surprise that we’re hearing it,” he said.

Kessans said the association is researching areas where cuts can be made if needed without laying off teachers.

The board is slated to vote on the contract Monday.

        

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