Teachers in 2 districts OK pay freezes

Teachers in the Three Village School District and the Jericho School District have separately agreed to salary freezes, similar to recent action taken by at least 18 other public school systems on Long Island.

In the Three Village district, teachers will not get a 2.8 percent "step" increase for the 2011-12 school year, which the district said will save $2.1 million and preserve 25 instructional positions. The accord was approved Tuesday.

School officials said the district potentially could realize gains from lower salary increases over the course of the contract -- which runs from July 1 through June 30, 2016 -- based on national economic conditions. Future salary increases are tied to the Consumer Price Index.

The district has been grappling with a $9.7-million budget gap for the coming school year. The Board of Education on Tuesday approved a $174.6-million budget.

"The new agreement acknowledges the importance of factoring in the impact of the Consumer Price Index in future wage increases," Board of Education president John Diviney said.

A letter dated April 5 from the school district's attorney that was emailed to Newsday and circulated publicly had warned that the agreement could create a "burdensome" issue for the district in 2014-15, when teachers move up three step increments in salary.

Diviney, in a statement to the community posted on the school's website, said the lawyer's memo contained a "key misunderstanding in the interpretation of ongoing negotiations." The statement also said that leaking the memo may have violated attorney-client privilege and that an investigation into who leaked it is likely.

Meanwhile, teachers in the Jericho School District agreed to give up the contractual 3.5 percent raise they were to receive next year, saving the district $1.2 million. Teachers will retain annual "step" increases built into their salary schedules.

In exchange, teachers obtained a three-year contract extension with a raise of 1.9 percent in 2012-13, 0 percent in 2013-14 and 1.9 percent in 2014-15, plus step increases. In addition, the teachers' contribution toward health-care benefits will be 21 percent by the end of the contract.

The district plans about seven layoffs due to declining enrollment, and several support and custodial jobs have been cut. In addition, the district has eliminated three teaching positions, one library position and two administrative positions, Jericho Superintendent Hank Grishman said.

The superintendent and all central office staff will not get raises next year, he said.

"We have shown that the teachers understood the need for fiscal responsibility and that the board will provide the guidance to accomplish that," said teachers association president Maryann Risi.