The Official Publication of Vermont-NEA’s Southern Region

October 28, 2008                                                                                                        Volume 2 No. 2

TEACHER AND STAFF CONTRACTS ONLINE

            Vermont-NEA has teacher and staff contracts online to assist you in preparing for negotiations and providing statistical support for your proposals. To access the contracts go to http://www.vermontneasouth.org/ and click on teacher or staff contracts. That will get you to the website. You will need to request a password, but that’s a snap.

Dorset Settles New Agreement

            The Dorset teachers have settled a new 3-year collective bargaining agreement that calls for “new money” wage increases of 6% the first year and 5.0% for the second and third years. The Board and the Association also agreed to some modifications of the salary schedule that will improve beginning teacher salaries and also improve the salaries at the career levels of the salary schedule. The Association’s Chief Negotiator was Russ Launderville.

Manchester Settles New Agreement

            As a result of a mediation session on October 17^th, the Manchester teachers have a new, 3-year collective bargaining agreement. The agreement calls for “new money” increases of 6.0% in the first year and 6.25% for the second and third year. The new agreement includes several other important changes, and it does not increase the teachers’ co-payment for health insurance.

Jennifer Wright, Georgeanne Bonifanti, Claudia Walker, and Jessica Dryden represented the Association during the negotiations.

Windham Northeast Staff, Mettawee Teachers, and Arlington Staff Prepare for Mediation

            After months of negotiations, the Windham Northeast Staff, Mettawee Teachers, and Arlington Staff are ready for mediation. Jim Magnusson of the FMCS was appointed by the Vermont Commissioner of Labor to mediate the WNEA Staff dispute, Bruce Fraser was selected by the parties to mediate the Mettawee impasse, and the Arlington Staff will meet with its Board in early November to discuss the status of the negotiations and possibly agree on a mediator.

            All three agreements expired at the end of June, and the teachers and staff members have been working without a contract since then.

Windham Southwest Staff Prepares for Fact Finding

            The WSSUSA (Windham Southwest Supervisory Union Staff Association) is now preparing for fact finding after a September 18^th mediation session with Mediator, Ira Lobel failed to produce a settlement. Prior to selecting a fact finder and scheduling a hearing, the Boards have asked the Staff to meet October 29^th in an effort to resolve the continuing dispute.