Copiague teachers' salary givebacks save $7 million
In one of the largest teacher givebacks on Long Island this year, the Copiague teacher's union has agreed to make concessions that will save the district nearly $7 million.
The Copiague Teachers Association agreed to reduce the remaining three years of contractual salary increases in return for extending the contract for another two years, said Superintendent Charles Leunig.
For the 2010-11 school year, the teachers' increase will be reduced by 0.5 percent, which Leunig said results in a 2.75 percent increase. For 2011-12, there is a freeze on salary increases and for the 2012-13 school year there will be a six-month delay in "step" increases. Increases for the remaining two years of the agreement will range between 2 and 2.25 percent, the district stated.
"The teachers really stepped up in a big way," Leunig said. "They did what was right for the community and what was right for the kids."
The overall savings from the concessions is expected to be $6.7 million, money that Leunig said is needed to offset large cuts in state aid. Copiague's loss of state aid amounted to 2.29 percent of its 2010-11 budget, the worst such figure for all Long Island districts for the upcoming school year.
"There was a time when you could always count on the fact that the state was going to come through but we can't count on that anymore," Leunig said. "It's absolutely frustrating and nerve-racking when you're trying to put together a budget. We're literally guessing what our revenue is going to be, so this helps in that way."
Association president Tim Gavin said teachers were willing to make the sacrifice in order to preserve as many school programs as possible.
"It was in the best interest of the students, the community and the teachers," Gavin said. "We're just trying to do our part through the economic crisis."
The agreement does not contain any provisions regarding layoffs or job security, Leunig said. Gavin said this remains a concern for teachers, but the union felt this agreement was "the best way to avert as many layoffs as possible."
Leunig said officials in the district - with roughly 4,600 students and 360 teachers - had already done "everything under the sun" to squeeze down overhead and operating expenses, including reducing 24 positions. The district's budget this year is $100,507,857, a decrease of 0.14 percent from the previous year. The local tax levy increased 2.7 percent.
What the $6.7 million will buy the district, Leunig said, is "hopefully the opportunity to get through the next couple of years without big spikes in property taxes."
Teacher concessionsBayport-Blue Point
Agreement: An 18-month wage freeze extending to February 2012. After that, teachers would receive three contractual raises totaling 4.5 percent during the following 18 months. Teachers also agreed to delayed payment of "step" increase for 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years.
Agreement: Pay freezes for next year, including contractual raises and "step" increases. Also, teachers are taking $900 individual pay cuts to be repaid without interest when they resign or retire.
Copiague
Agreement: Reduce salary increase for 2010-11 by 0.5 percent, a pay freeze for the 2011-12 school year, and a six-month delay in step increases for 2012-13. In the last two years of the agreement, increases will range between 2 and 2.25 percent.
Agreement: No negotiated raise for 2010-11, a 1.95 percent raise in the middle of 2011-12, 1 percent in July 2012 and 1.5 percent in February 2013. Scheduled "step" increases average 2 to 3 percent in 2010-11 with delayed steps at the end of each of the next two years.
Agreement: Teachers agreed to raise their share of health care payments from 19 percent to 25 percent.
Half Hollow Hills
Agreement: Pay freeze in 2011-12, a two-year extension of the contract that will give 3 percent increases in each year.
Agreement: Zero percent raise for the current year.
Agreement: No contractual raise for 2010-11, six-month freeze in annual "step" increases.
Agreement: A half-year freeze on contractual raises and step increases for each of the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years.
Agreement: A delay in annual "step" increases until February 2011, along with changes in health benefits.
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