New teachers pact set for vote P'burg school board, union agree on contract Tuesday, June 12, 2007 • By DANIEL HAUSMANN • The Express-Times PHILLIPSBURG | The school board and teachers union reached a tentative agreement Monday on a new contract that does not call for an employee health care contribution. The Phillipsburg Education Association traded two-tenths of a percent in annual raises to keep the traditional health care plan. The proposed raises would be 4.3 percent per year over the three-year contract. The association's 428 teachers will vote to ratify the deal next Monday and if approved, the board could end 18 months of sometimes contentious negotiations June 25. The union and the board negotiating team met without school administrators and attorneys Friday. Both sides had a similar meeting May 25 without administrators that yielded a lot of optimism. Board Negotiating Committee Chairman Kevin DeGerolamo said both sides were anxious to reach an accord. "We had to get an agreement that both sides had to live with," DeGerolamo said. "I think it's pretty fair to both sides." DeGerolamo said the teachers were looking for a 4.5 percent annual salary increase. The last contract, which expired July 2006, included a 3.8 percent annual hike. Union President Barbara English said the health care contribution was a deal-breaker. She said the deal was a combined effort by both sides. "The board negotiating team was very open; they really listened to us," English said. The deal includes a clause allowing employees who enroll in a family member's health plan to receive one-third of their expected benefits. DeGerolamo said that could save the district up to $400,000 in annual insurance costs. In 2005-06, the district paid out $8.2 million in health care, just under 14 percent of the school budget. Board Attorney Don Morrow said he was advised about what went on at the face-to-face meetings. "If anyone can make headway and a face-to-face meeting is necessary, I have no problem with that," Morrow said. English said the two face-to-face meetings which led to the deal were comfortable and both sides were able to share with each other. By contrast, a May 31 formal fact-finding session didn't go as well, according to both sides. English and DeGerolamo both said they were confident this is the contract they've been looking for since last summer. Bill Poch, the district's business manager, did not have figures on the new average salary or how much the district will have to pay in retroactive raises. Reporter Daniel Hausmann can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at dhausmann@express-times.com.