UPDATE: Lincoln-Sudbury Teachers' Association Agrees to Increase Healthcare Contributions

The Lincoln-Sudbury Teacher’s Association, in settlement negotiations with the L-S School Committee, agreed to a 2015-2018 contract.

The association agreed to an increase in employee health care contributions for active and retiring members.

“The Lincoln-Sudbury Teachers’ Association (LSTA) is deeply committed to the long-standing tradition of excellence in education at Lincoln-Sudbury,” said a press release. “Our members work hard to develop students into self-motivated, innovative, socially-conscious, and inspired individuals who move on to become exemplary contributors to our society.”

On March 5, the L-S School Committee announced the ratification of the new contract with the association, saying that it “substantially reduces the district’s Other Post-Employment Benefit (OPEB) liability, successfully manages the growth of the district’s operating budget, and thoughtfully ensures the quality of instruction at the high school.

The School Committee noted that the key features of the new contract include:

• An increase in active employee contributions to health insurance, from 30% to 35%, beginning in the 2017 fiscal year;
• Graduated increases in retiree contributions to health insurance that reach 50% in the 2018 fiscal year;
• Modest compensation increases representing, on a cash basis, cost of living adjustments (COLA) equivalent to 1%, 1.5% and 2% for fiscal years 2016 through 2018, respectively; and
• Full adoption of a rigorous educator evaluation program designed to ensure that the high school’s instructional staff consistently performs at high levels.

“We are pleased that the new contract addresses the goals set out by the School Committee at the outset of negotiations, and that the financial terms of the contract enable the district to advocate for a level services budget that avoids staff cuts at a time when the high school’s enrollment is at its peak,” said Radha Gargeya, Chair of the Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee, in a press release. “We are grateful to the Teacher’s Association for the collaborative and constructive tone of negotiations, which led to an early settlement and demonstrates the commitment of the faculty to maintaining excellence at Lincoln-Sudbury.”

View the contract here.