Union President Seeks Early Retirement For Members

The president of the Woonsocket Teachers Guild believes he has found a way to shrink this year's school expenditures, and it involves boosting benefits for teachers.

At Wednesday's meeting of the school department's finance subcommittee, union leader Jeff Partington unveiled a plan that calls for letting senior teachers step down two years early, with all their retirement benefits in place. By his reasoning, replacing them with younger teachers who are still years away from  top-step pay would result in significant cost reductions. "You'd pick up $20,000 per teacher," he told the panel.

Should 50 teachers choose to leave early, the savings could add up to $1 million. Subcommittee members agreed to study the plan, but some voiced skepticism.

Superintendent Giovanna Donoyan said she had the school department's human resources team put together a spreadsheet to determine how much could be saved if every teacher nearing retirement left two years early. The amount they arrived at: $599,000 next year. She pointed out, however, that there's no guarantee any money will be saved. According to Donoyon, public schools now have many specialized positions that require advanced degrees, and finding a novice teacher with the right qualifications is sometimes impossible.

"It's not really clear the people who take over those open positions would be first-step teachers," she said. Teachers hired before 1994 are now allowed to retire after 28 years, with the school department paying the full cost of their health care benefits until they reach age 65. Retirement benefits became less generous after that date.

Under Partington's plan, those who retire two years early would be entitled to the same health care package.

"No question there's some uncertainty," the union leader said. "But you will
realize savings short term. There's no long-term impact that will make this
more expensive for the district. You'll pick up the differential earlier than
you otherwise would."

He added, however, that those savings won't last. They'll begin to disappear after the first year or two.

City Council chairman John Ward, also a subcommittee member, noted that Woonsocket could get stuck with job candidates with advanced degrees
and years of experience. In such situations, union contracts stipulate they be hired at a higher pay step, which could actually increase costs. 

Subcommittee member James Cournoyer also voiced doubts. "When other cities and towns have done this in the past, it's been shortsighted," he said.

At Donoyan's recommendation, the subcommittee agreed to give the proposal further review. She proposed the school department poll senior teachers to see how many would consider early retirement. She also suggested the school department make clear they will consider only those job candidates below a certain pay step.

The school department is now considering many new cost-cutting measures in an effort to reduce another potential budget shortfall this year. Though a deficit has been predicted, no one is certain how large it will be. The finance subcommittee, which includes the superintendent, School Committee members, City Council members and residents, is charged with reviewing savings plans and recommending cuts.