School Board: Challenges Surround Teacher Negotiations In Nashua

Co-Authored by Sandra Ziehm & Jessica Brown

On December 17 the Nashua Teachers’ Union (NTU) declared impasse halting contract negotiations with the Nashua Board of Education (BOE). This opened the proceedings to the public. On January 6 parties will meet with a mediator.

In an effort to promote transparency, we are sharing our account of negotiations with the NTU thus far. We serve on the Nashua BOE and have represented the BOE in NTU contract negotiations throughout 2021.

BOE’s most recent offer included: wage increases of nearly 16% over four years; more paid planning time; increased contributions to health savings accounts; raising Tuition Reimbursement to $4,000 annually.

This offer was made because the BOE Team recognizes our critical labor shortage. Buildings are understaffed and students are underserved. If our District is to compete with the surrounding areas, we MUST raise the bottom of the teaching pay grid to attract and retain quality educators in the first half of their career.

Our HR data suggests the District does not generally lose staff between year 12 and retirement. The current District pay grid reflects the career longevity of our wonderful veteran teachers- who are some of the highest paid in the state, compared with similar districts.

Unfortunately, the current contract creates a pay gap between newer teachers and veteran teachers that is too wide to be competitive. It is common for Nashua to lose staff in years 3 through 10 of their careers to districts where teachers can start earning higher pay sooner. The antiquated concept of teachers “paying their dues” for 16 years before receiving quality compensation causes Nashua to struggle in hiring and keeping teachers. Our current contract is not attractive to newer teachers or those certified in high needs areas of Special Education and English Language Learners in today’s job market.

With this in mind, the BOE’s offer included significant pay increases to the base salary and substantial mid-career step adjustments to help “train AND retain”. NTU Leadership rejected these proposals, negotiating for lower percentage raises for teachers on the bottom half of the pay scale and asking for significant wage increases to the most tenured teachers.

Throughout negotiations Mayor Donchess’s commitment to changes in city healthcare were central to securing acceptable terms. With pressure rising, the BOE Team conceded to most of the Union Leadership's demands, knowing it was not equitable for all our teachers in the way we had hoped. These concessions were not enough. The NTU Leadership refused to negotiate further- declaring impasse.

The BOE Team was still confident bargaining unit members would support the package. The Team encouraged -and challenged- NTU Leadership to share the details of the negotiations and the most recent package with their members.

NTU Leadership chose not to disclose the full details of the offer with the membership. The NTU continues to insist that our dedicated teachers adhere to “Work to Rule” to leverage and divide stakeholders.

The BOE unanimously voted to read a statement prepared by the Board’s Negotiation Team sharing our position at the beginning of the December 20 Board Meeting. For whatever reason, Board President Heather Raymond, who also serves in negotiations, chose not to read the statement. Mayor Donchess was then granted time to speak to a packed boardroom asking the BOE to submit to the remaining Union requests.

In Nashua’s government structure, the mayor holds no authority regarding school labor contracts or direct spending. The mayor’s power lies in advocating to the Board of Aldermen to raise the education budget line and prioritize our schools over other special projects.

In an effort to put students first, the Negotiation Team worked diligently with NTU to find a mutually beneficial deal. The 15.7% over four years wage increase that was turned down by NTU Leadership would cost the taxpayers an additional $10,000,000. We were willing to make this financial commitment because the BOE understands that fair compensation for our valued teachers ultimately benefits our students. The BOE’s priorities include: teacher attraction and retention, lightening the load for veteran teachers, and maintaining smaller class sizes for students.

City Hall promises to pass on insurance savings to the schools in contract year one. However this financial assistance will not last in perpetuity. In year two of the contract, the District will rely heavily on federal COVID recovery grants to offset increased wage costs. In year three, the expected $3,000,000 wage increases will likely come out of the student services operating budget. In year four, we do not know where the additional money will come from. The School District could potentially have a $2,000,000 budget shortfall that will directly impact the general student population and face cutting teaching positions.

As we reenter negotiations, we issue a new challenge to our community leaders. Come together for the good of all stakeholders. Put the students at the center of our efforts. Be transparent and be guided by the Nashua School District Mission - “value a passion for learning and the importance of integrity, trust, respect, empathy and tenacity.”