Public Relations > News: Contract Negotiations > Collective Bargaining Issues Related to Teacher Contract

Collective Bargaining Issues Related to Teacher Contract
The issues separating the Souderton Area School Board Negotiating Team and the Souderton Area Education Association fall into three main categories:

Salary - Considering that many in our community are suffering the effects of a poor economy, and that resident wage-earners have experienced less than a 2.25 percent increase in income over the last three years, the Negotiating Team's goal from the very beginning has been to establish contracts of accountability with all of its unions. The Team has been careful to present salary increases that reward teachers while also limiting the financial impact to taxpayers. The Team also introduced a Performance Pay Program to reward teachers who improve student performance, but the union rejected this proposal. The current SAEA salary demands would result in a 48-percent increase in payroll for teachers over a five-year period, or an average of 9.5 percent compounded for the same period. These salary demands would require real estate tax increases of approximately 5.3 percent per year for the five-year period of the contract.

Health Benefits - Part of reaching a contract for accountability means conducting research and gathering hard data upon which to base decisions. The Negotiating Team hired a health care industry expert to examine trends in health care costs, insurance program contents and cost-sharing trends. Based on the data provided by this expert, the Team presented a benefits plan that will enable the district to soften the impact of escalating health costs while also providing adequate coverage options for employees. Current health benefits require teacher contributions of between zero and 10 percent toward premiums each month, depending upon which of the three plans an employee chooses.

Working Conditions - The length of the work year and work day are key issues. The district has proposed a longer work year and longer work day in response to union members' concerns over the amount of time they have to complete regular duties.