Teachers Agree To State Health Benefits Program, 2% Pay Raise

The long-awaited settlement between Ramsey teachers and its Board of Education is likely to be cemented this week, according to a joint release from the Board and the Ramsey Teachers Association Friday.

The tentative agreement between the two sides, which has been ratified by the RTA, was called a “reasonable compromise” in the release. It will not be finalized until the Board votes on it at a meeting Thursday night.

The agreement details salary increases and health benefits for Ramsey teachers and office personnel:

• The agreement reaffirms the 4.35% salary increase paid to teachers in the 2010-11 school year.
• Teachers retain a wage freeze for the 2011-2012 school year
• For the 2012-2013, RTA members receive a 2% pay raise
• Teachers agreed to moving from their traditional private health insurance plan into the New Jersey School Employees’ Health Benefits Program. The move will save the district $100,000 a month, the release said. In exchange, the district will pay a one-time compensation of $800 to all employees covered by this contract. 
• “The parties mutually agreed to adjust the RTA salary guide to increase the number of steps from 15 to 16 steps and decrease the annual cost of increment from 2.7% to 2.28%. An additional 2.6% of salary was used to achieve these goals. The cost of increment is the amount of money used to pay annual step increase on the salary guide,” the release said.

According to the release, the agreement "maintains excellent health coverage for Ramsey’s teaching and secretarial staff while reducing the cost of this insurance to the district."

Before voting on the agreement, the Ramsey Board of Education will give a presentation on it, and publicly discuss it, at its meeting Thursday, Sept. 20, in the High School auditorium at 7:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.

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