Teachers' pay raises may be renegotiated in time for the November operating levy.

 

Though no official statements have been made by either the Worthington Board of Education or the Worthington Education Association (WEA), which represents the district's teachers, the subject of negotiations was addressed in a closed board session on Sept. 2 and time has been set aside for an announcement or further talks at next Monday's school board meeting.

"I would hope we would have something as early as next Monday," board president David Bressman said Tuesday.

If not on Monday, the board hopes to have an answer from WEA president Pete Scully by the Sept. 28 meeting, Bressman said.

"If not on the 28th, it's probably not going to come," Bressman said.

Some board members have made clear that they would like to reopen negotiations of the three-year labor contract approved a year ago. It grants a 2.85-percent increase in the base salary of teachers each year.

Add step increases, and the average teacher salary increase is more than 5-percent each year. The average teacher salary is more than $70,000 a year, plus benefits.

During public meetings and in letters to the WEA and the board, members of the public have asked for salary concessions that would more closely reflect the state of the economy.

Some have said they will not support the 6.9-mill incremental levy unless teachers agree to give up some of their salary increases.

Last month, 44 administrators joined Superintendent of Schools Melissa Conrath and Treasurer Jeff McCuen in giving back their raises for this year. That will save the district more than $100,000.

cbrooks@thisweeknews.com