Spring-Ford Approves New Collective Bargaining Agreement

ROYERSFORD, PA — Spring-Ford has reached an accord with teachers on a new collective bargaining agreement after months of negotiations, the district announced Monday night. The agreement comes just as the 2017-2018 school year gets underway.

Teachers, represented by the Spring-Ford Education Association, had been locked in negotiations with the district for some time. The chief concerns were that teachers wanted to dispense of salary freezes and build a more attractive salary schedule that would "attract and retain the brightest and the best teachers in the area."

Ultimately, the two groups agreed on a new four-year contract with several major changes. Salaries for teachers will increase by an average of four percent over that time, with a freeze in place only in the third year, the district said.

The increase in salary will include salary, health care, and retirement benefits.

"We are extremely grateful to the Spring-Ford community for supporting us throughout the negotiating process," the Association said in a statement late Monday. "We also thank our Board members and SF administrators. Together, our students first!"

The agreement also plans to phase out different types of health care options by the end of the four year contract, helping to control the overall cost to the district.

“We’re pleased at the progress we made with the association,"said Joe Ciresi, President of the Spring-Ford Board of School Directors. "I look forward to moving Spring-Ford forward over the next four years as we work towards our goal of becoming the #1 school district in the state. This is a great way to start a new school year.”

Image via Spring-Ford