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By Beacon Journal staff report
POSTED: 09:20 p.m. EDT, Apr 30, 2009
Akron teachers have voted to extend their contract for a year.
The move freezes teachers' pay except for regularly scheduled increases based on experience.
Bill Siegferth, president of the Akron Education Association union, said teachers recognize the financial crunch the district faces — a projected $37 million deficit in 2011.
Teachers ''see our district closing buildings to save money,'' Siegferth said Wednesday. ''We're probably going to end up with some reduced programming. We're likely going to have some teachers laid off.''
In his Feb. 4 State of the Schools address, Superintendent David James asked all of the district's unions — whose contracts expire in 2009 — to consider a one-year rollover.
The rollover shelves negotiations for a year and gives all sides more time to get a clearer picture of the district's finances, the governor's proposed education budget and the local impact of federal stimulus dollars.
The district would have spent roughly $6 million on across-the-board raises had teachers received a 3 percent pay increase — as they did for this contract year, Siegferth said.
An overwhelming majority — 96 percent — of the 1,400 union members who voted approved the contract extension, Siegferth said. The votes were counted Wednesday evening.
The union represents about 2,000 full-time and part-time teachers and other employees.
Last month, the school board voted to eliminate 17 administrative positions.
Administrators are unlikely to get raises for the coming year. They typically only get across-the-board salary hikes when union-represented employees get raises.
Akron teachers have voted to extend their contract for a year.
The move freezes teachers' pay except for regularly scheduled increases based on experience.
Bill Siegferth, president of the Akron Education Association union, said teachers recognize the financial crunch the district faces — a projected $37 million deficit in 2011.
Teachers ''see our district closing buildings to save money,'' Siegferth said Wednesday. ''We're probably going to end up with some reduced programming. We're likely going to have some teachers laid off.''
In his Feb. 4 State of the Schools address, Superintendent David James asked all of the district's unions — whose contracts expire in 2009 — to consider a one-year rollover.
The rollover shelves negotiations for a year and gives all sides more time to get a clearer picture of the district's finances, the governor's proposed education budget and the local impact of federal stimulus dollars.
The district would have spent roughly $6 million on across-the-board raises had teachers received a 3 percent pay increase — as they did for this contract year, Siegferth said.
An overwhelming majority — 96 percent — of the 1,400 union members who voted approved the contract extension, Siegferth said. The votes were counted Wednesday evening.
The union represents about 2,000 full-time and part-time teachers and other employees.
Last month, the school board voted to eliminate 17 administrative positions.
Administrators are unlikely to get raises for the coming year. They typically only get across-the-board salary hikes when union-represented employees get raises.
Comments
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Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 11:04 PM, 04/30/2009
96%! Wow! Good for you Akron. But doesn't this say that you should have thought of this before you approved them 2 years ago? Oh that's right, well paid administrators weren't feeling the financial crunch yet.
Stow, OH
Posted 11:31 PM, 04/30/2009
The article has a slightly misleading statement: "Administrators are unlikely to get raises for the coming year. They typically only get across-the-board salary hikes when union-represented employees get raises." At one time, it was a regular practice for the administrators to be granted the same raises as teachers. That practice ended and teacher have received raises while the administrative payscale stayed the same.
Akron, OH
Posted 11:49 PM, 04/30/2009
Even with all this, Akron Schools will probably be wanting another levy within a year----and the answer to that is NO!
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 07:46 AM, 05/01/2009
It's time for all state school systems to recognize the good times are over. It's time for the teachers, administrators, and staff across the state to take pay cuts and pay more for their healthcare benefits and co-pays like us in the private sector have been forced to do.
People of Ohio can't afford to pay more real estate taxes. Stricknine's new budget proposal is a farse. It does nothing to fix the school funding problems except force us to accept school levy real estate tax increases automatically without a vote of the people. NO way. NO to all school levies. Send the right message to Stricknine & the Democrat State House on their budget.
Vote NO on all school levies on Tuesday !!!!
Akron, OH
Posted 10:28 AM, 05/01/2009
===============
The ABJ story reported:
The move freezes teachers' pay except for regularly scheduled increases based on experience.
===============
Is there some reason that the unnamed writer of this story chose to avoid the more common term used to describe the paycheck increase called
STEP RAISES!
???
rootstown, oh
Posted 01:02 AM, 05/02/2009
orwellian doublespeak.gotta' love those overpaid teachers.
Posted 04:49 PM, 05/13/2009
Sour grapes. That's what I'm reading here. We all have an opportunity to make the most of ourselves. Those who go through college or a course of study after high school and make the most of their education, enter the workforce with more to offer. Those w/more to offer make more money. Working ones way through college and putting in the time deserve more than minimum wage. Higher level jobs require more than an entry level job or one that does not necessitate a degree. IF you want to earn more money "you must put the time in and WORK FOR IT. Some of you just don't get it. And overpaid teachers? Sign up at your local school Toxic Nut, and find out what really goes on. Offer to tutor. Observe students that just don't care, those that are continuously causing problems and disrupting the teaching/learning process. And then notice those who really try their best. That's just one side. Not to mention that there are parents out there that just don't care if their child succeeds or not. But do some research before you start putting down others for working hard, pulling all nighters to pass exams, and moving through the grueling routine of getting a college degree. Want more? Do the work. SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE DO WHAT UNSUCCESSFUL PEOPLE WON'T!
