Half Hollow Hills teachers agree to pay freeze

Teachers and administrators in the Half Hollow Hills school district have reopened their contracts and agreed to pay freezes in 2011-12 in an effort to help the district avoid a budget shortfall, building on a recent trend of Long Island teacher unions agreeing to temporary pay freezes.

The freeze in Half Hollow Hills will come during the same year that federal stimulus money ends and will save the district $3 million for that year, officials said.

"We're thrilled, it's a groundbreaking achievement," district Superintendent Sheldon Karnilow said. "The economy is very bad, and we certainly wanted to be respectful of our taxpayers and we feel like we have accomplished something major here."

Besides helping deal with the end of federal stimulus money, Karnilow said the savings are crucial because Employees' Retirement System and Teachers' Retirement System pension costs borne by school districts are expected to increase that year "exponentially."

The agreement also calls for a two-year extension of the contract that will give 3 percent increases in each of those years. Step increases will not be impacted.

Teachers and administrators had been slated to get 3.5 percent raises in 2011-12. Next year they will get a 3 percent increase.

The school board will vote Monday on the agreement.

Andy Greene, president of the administrators association in the district, said it was a common-sense decision.

"The administrative association, along with the teachers union, both felt it was the right thing to do in these tough economic times," Greene said.

Mel Stern, president of the Half Hollow Hills Teachers' Association, said it was a winning solution for students, taxpayers and district employees.

"One of the things that is special about Half Hollow Hills is that we have a very good partnership between the unions, the board and administration," Stern said. "We try to work together and we do."

Last month, the Roslyn and Port Washington school districts negotiated contracts without annual raises.

To avoid layoffs, Port Washington's 500-member teacher union voted to take a zero percent raise for the current year, while in Roslyn teachers will not get a raise in 2010-11.

Joe Hogan, Brentwood teacher's union president, said his members are considering a pay freeze for next year. They have two years left on their contract.