Sun Feb 12 2012
by Tim Troglen
Reporter
Hudson -- The 350-member Hudson Education Association has agreed to open contact negotiations with the district early, according to an Aug. 26 press release from the district.
"Beginning this process six months ahead of schedule allows the district to better prepare in this difficult economic climate," Communications Manager Sheryl Sheatzley stated in the release.
Negotiations will begin as soon as possible, Sheatzley said.
The teachers are working under a two-year contract set to expire at the end of the 2010-11 school year, according to Hudson Schools treasurer Bart Griffith. It provides annual salary increases of 1.5 percent and a 4 percent contribution to health care costs.
The 1.5 percent increase was the lowest negotiated increase in about 12 years, Superintendent Steve Farnsworth said. The typical yearly raise in salary among teachers has been 3 percent, he said.
"I am very pleased that our teachers are willing to open up the negotiations, Farnsworth said. "I think this shows that they care about our community and our school district and want to be seen as part of the solution in these very difficult economic times we are living in right now."
The Board of Education requested opening early, said Hudson Education Association President David Spohn. The union agreed.
"The HEA believes in the bargaining process to create contracts," Spohn said. "The HEA will honor the results of bargaining until a successor agreement is reached and expects the same out of the Board of Education. HEA believes in using a market approach to bargaining. We base our negotiating positions on what is prevalent in similar school districts."
This is the first time "in recent memory" that the formal bargaining has begun this early, Spohn said.
"The HEA and administration have worked with a federal mediator in the past to prepare for bargaining before the contracted time-lines, but formal bargaining did not take place", Spohn said.
Farnsworth told the Board of Education at its July 21 meeting that he was going to ask the union to open negotiations early.
"I appreciate our teachers' willingness to engage in the process early, and their sensitivity to the community's economic situation," Farnsworth said Aug. 26.
The district's 24 administrators took a voluntary pay freeze Aug. 1. The administrators also agreed to pay for 10 percent of their health care costs. They previously paid for 4 percent.
"Our teachers are really among the best in the business," Farnsworth said. "Most of them have a wealth of experience and many have advanced degrees. And most importantly, they care deeply about our students."
The district is currently in contract negotiations with the non-teaching support staff, Farnsworth said.
Over the past four years, the Board of Education, administration and teachers have generated $8.8 million in savings by reducing operational costs, reducing personnel, and negotiating the lowest percentage of increase to teacher pay in a decade, according to the school district.
E-mail: ttroglen@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3146
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