Update: Teachers Union Rejects Concessions

Note: This article was first posted on Jan. 11. We are reposting it because readers' comments have since added much new information to the story.

Members of the Ledyard Education Association met Wednesday and agreed to "honor fully the contract that was negotiated in good faith and was agreed to by us and the Ledyard Board of Education."

In other words, the membership opted not to accept concessions that were recommended by the Board of Education in an effort to avoid layoffs of as many as nine positions in the coming year.

"Much of the discussion around the concession request revolved around the fact that two years ago we agreed to concessions and we are still within the same contract," said union President Ted Allen. "There was a reluctance to have another give-back after already freezing salaries recently," he said.

The school board’s proposed $29,607,964 budget for 2012-13 has the same bottom line as this year’s budget. But the district will not have the benefit of a $703,000 federal grant that was applied this year.

That, coupled with other increases, requires the board to find some $1,041,552 in reductions, a number that includes $671,552 from the salary account. 

Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Graner said earlier Wednesday that the salary gap could be closed either by concessions, layoffs, or some combination of the two.

Specifically, the concessions recommended to the district’s 219 teachers would have involved a “step freeze” in which all teachers would receive a 2.7 percent general wage increase, but teachers still on the step scale would forego their step increases for one year.

"The board made a salary recommendation through which we are trying to minimize possible staff reductions," Graner said of the proposal.

The salary gap could translate to nine positions, including seven teachers, a custodian and one part-time administrative assistant, Graner said.

The district's teachers, representing the largest union, met Wednesday afternoon. The district's administrative assistants also were scheduled to meet Wednesday.

Graner said the district's paraprofessionals, administrators and Board of Education staff already have agreed to forego raises in the coming year. He said many of the district's tutors are likely to be eliminated.

After learning of the teachers' decision, Graner said the next step will be to develop a list of proposed staff reductions. "(Assistant Superintendent) Cathy Patterson and I will consider all the alternatives and make recommendations which we believe will have the least impact on the students," he said.

The budget proposal presented this week anticipates no change in state education funding. Graner said the budget maintains the district's current class size and allows for the continuation of all curricular and extra-curricular programs.

Non-personnel reductions total $370,000 including $50,000 in the energy account as a result of converting Gales Ferry Schools to natural gas. Graner said it is hoped that "turnover," or reduction in staff as a result attrition, also would account for roughly $235,000 in savings.

As for working the budget further, Graner was not very hopeful. "We're offering a zero percent increase budget with gratitude to the residents. The budget is as low as it can be," he said.