Schools union chief predicts more concessions

A regional leader of Long Island's unionized school professionals predicts more locals will agree to salary concessions in the year ahead, just as his own members have given up a 2.75 percent pay raise.

Jeff Rozran, who is also president of the 725-member Syosset Teachers' Association, announced this week that his union has granted the $2.5-million salary concession for the next school year. Under the revised agreement, teachers still get annual "step" increases averaging 2 percent.

Rozran, 64, says the contractual change aims to protect both teacher jobs and student services, in a budget year shaping up potentially as the tightest for school districts in two decades. In exchange for the pay concession, Syosset officials have agreed that teachers will retain their jobs - barring unusual circumstances, such as a "no" vote on the district's budget next spring.

"It's time for statesmanship," said Rozran, a longtime English teacher who also sits on the board of directors of the statewide New York State United Teachers union. The state organization represents 600,000 teachers and other professional school employees; Long Island makes up 61,000 of them.

Syosset teachers rank in the top quarter regionally in terms of pay, with salaries ranging from slightly less than $57,000 to more than $133,000 a year.

Choosing his words carefully, Rozran predicted that more districts will seek pay concessions in the months ahead, and that unions will "do the right thing for the kids." Both Rozran and state union leaders caution, however, that teachers could balk at concessions if they feel they're being bullied by school officials.

"Speaking generally, unions recognize these are difficult economic times, and want to ensure that negotiations are fair to taxpayers, but also fair to teachers," said Carl Korn, a state union spokesman in Albany. "We have seen a trend toward locals restructuring their agreements and making concessions."

Even so, the Syosset Teachers Association is only the 11th union local on the Island to announce pay concessions over the past 12 months. A Newsday survey last spring, which obtained detailed data from 45 of the area's 124 districts, found that salaries were rising at a median 5 percent. That's more than triple the inflation rate.

Syosset school officials say concessions will help the district meet cost increases beyond its control next year. Among these, officials list an estimated $6-million rise in health-insurance premiums and contributions to state pension funds. Syosset's total budget this year is $188.8 million.

Schools Superintendent Carol Hankin Thursday welcomed the agreement, which, she added, was done "collaboratively" with teachers and was "in the best interests of our students and taxpayers."

In his first budget message, due by Wednesday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is widely expected to call for more than $1 billion in statewide school-aid cuts. That would include the loss of more than $700 million in federal stimulus money for schools that is due to dry up in June. Cuomo is also calling for a 2 percent cap on local property tax increases, which could further squeeze school budgets.

Some taxpayer advocates credit Cuomo's approach for putting pressure on unions to make concessions. "You have to realize that Gov. Cuomo is serious," said Fred Gang, a Syosset resident and longtime critic of school spending there.