(Published Tuesday, March 20, 2007 11:41:51 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
By Frank Schultz Gazette staff
Teachers want a raise.
The Janesville School Board wants teachers to start paying premiums for health insurance.
Those money issues are likely to be the biggest sticking points as negotiators for the board and the 840-plus teachers bargain for the 2007-09 contract.
The two sides sat down in front of an audience of about 80 teachers at Craig High School on Monday afternoon to begin the process.
Each side read its lists of desires.
The teachers' opening bid was for a pay increase of 4.5 percent a year in each cell of the salary schedule. That would mean a minimum increase of 4.5 percent for every teacher, although some would get more as they advance on the salary schedule or as their pay status is upgraded through increases in college credits.
The school board proposed 3 percent per cell. Same deal: Some would get more.
But the 3 percent increase is contingent on the teachers paying health-insurance premiums, said attorney Mike Julka, who spoke for the board. That's something the teachers have never done.
Specifically, the board is asking teachers to pay 10 percent of the cost of their health plan.
A family plan now costs roughly $15,000 a year, so teachers are being asked to pay yearly premiums totaling around $1,500, said Angel Tullar, manager of employee relations.
Julka noted that General Motors also is struggling with health insurance and retirement costs as it negotiates with its unions. GM, like the district, sees these costs as hampering "its ability to provide a quality product," Julka said.
The board added a carrot to its proposal: a 5 percent discount on the monthly premium payment for any teacher who participates in the district's wellness program. The two sides would work out details of that program in a joint committee, said Superintendent Tom Evert.
The teachers made no proposal on health care, but they didn't reject the board's idea out of hand.
Union President Dave Parr said after the meeting that the teachers know something has to be done about the high costs of health care and that union negotiators are open to talking about this and all the issues on the table.
Some have suggested teachers should start paying premiums to retain community support for schools. Most of those who pay taxes to support the schools have to pay premiums at their jobs.
Parr said while the teachers don't pay premiums, they have paid in another way for their health plan. To preserve their health coverage, teachers have taken raises so small that they've lost ground to the cost of living, Parr said.
The teachers introduced many other proposals, including a restructuring of in-service requirements. In-service refers to bi-monthly training sessions teachers say don't always apply to their individual duties.
Both sides also had proposals affecting retirement benefits and sick leave.
The two sides agreed on one thing: keeping future negotiating sessions closed to the public.
The teachers did not agree to a school board proposal to refrain from speaking to the news media about negotiations. The teachers agreed to discuss that idea, however, in future sessions.
The next session is Wednesday, April 25. The current contract ends June 30.
