School Committee Approves Proposed Watertown Teachers Contract

What a difference a year makes. Tuesday night the School Committee unanimously voted to approve a proposed teachers contract,

With the approval by the School Committee, all that stands in the way to settling the contract is approval by the teachers union – the Watertown Education Association. Union president Debra King said she has scheduled a meeting to vote on the memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Tuesday, April 10 at 3 p.m. She said she will wait to comment on the contact until after the teachers vote.

School Committee Vice Chairman John Portz, a member of the negotiating team, thanked both negotiating teams as well as teachers and parents. He acknowledged the length of the negotiations, which have lasted two years.

“I know we have tried your patience,” Portz said. “Hopefully now we have reached a conclusion.”

The economic decline in the state and nation made negotiating the contract difficult, Portz said.

School Committee member Laurie McManus said she supports the agreement, though affording it could be hard.

“The MOA is not perfect, but I do believe it to be fair,” McManus said. “I believe we can make it work but it will be a challenge to make it work.”

A number of School Committee members noted how important it is to have the contract finished so the complete focus of the district can be put on what goes on in Watertown’s classrooms.

Town Manager Michael Driscoll voted against the proposed contract last year but supported this one.

“A year ago, (the proposed contact) lacked fairness and would have had an adverse effect on the students of Watertown,” Driscoll said.

After speaking with Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald, Driscoll said he is confident the proposal could be paid for without hurting the schools.

The Details

The contract includes the 2010-11 school year, last year, as well as the current year and next year, Portz said. He outlined the highlights of the contract:

• In the first two years, teachers would not receive a cost of living adjustment increase, but those qualifying for step increases have already received increases.
• Teachers who worked in the district for the 2011-12 will get a $500 bonus in July if they did not get a step increase.
• In the final year, 2012-13, teachers would get a 2.5 percent raise, with the first 1.5 percent on Sept. 1 and a 1 percent increase at midyear.
• An additional step will be added to the contract for teacher with a master’s degree and 45 credits of qualified graduate school classes. Prior to that the last step was Masters and 30 credits.
• They will eliminate the bachelor’s degree plus 15 credits.
• Teachers will be able to get more tuition reimbursement and the pool for tuition reimbursement will increase.
• The number of sick days teachers can use will also increase.