WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. June 22, 2007: Jerry Gorski, President of the White Plains Teachers Union told WPCNR today that the Board of the WPTA has not approved the proposed settlement Memorandum of Understanding yet, but expected them to since the rank-and-file teachers had approved the new 1 year contract “solidly” according to Gorski.
Gorski reports the 3% one year salary increase extends across the board to all levels and step levels (rewarding degrees achieved and degrees presently being sought on the part of teachers). However some payment rates on certain contractual matters will only go up half the negotiated increase or 1-1/2%, and some payments that are stipulated dollar fee amounts will not go up the full 3%, varying between .2% to ˝% of the settlement. Individual, Family and Two-Person Plan Teacher payments would be going up across the board, he said. Michele Schoenfeld advised that the Superintendent of Schools would announce the details at Monday evening's Board of Education meeting.
On the benefits portion of the settlement, teachers will be paying more in dollars for Individual, 2 person, and Family medical plans. Gorski did not volunteer the exact amounts. He said the teachers union has choice of Swisschip (a consortium of districts that combines purchasing power) and HeathNet, an HMO, and Swisschip has annount a 10-1/2% increase in benefit costs beginning July 1, 2007.
Gorski also said when asked if the one year contract was a result of the teachers and the School District being unable to reach an agreement on a longer contract, said no, that the benefits question was a matter that the union and the school district felt would be better addressed next year, when the union and the district had time to review other possible plans.
Gorski said the union would be looking at other plans due to the increase in the two plans July 1st. Gorski advised that Copays in the present health plans would be going up substantially, from $15 to $20 for just a doctor’s visit, an emergency room visit would go from zero to $25 and a minimum Copay for a stay in the hospital would be $100, up from zero. Gorski said the future of benefit payments and the teachers’ share of them was something that would “have to play out over the next year,” as new plans were examined.
Asked, what he felt the school district could do to keep the present increase in the budget where it is (4%). Gorski sighed and said “the city and the Board of Education have to get together and help each other out.” The city sharing sales tax with the school district was one way, Gorski, said, saying “I know it’s a hot potato.” Trimming the budget more would be very difficult, he said, considering this 2007-2008 budget was “a very lean budget.” He said he saw no way he thought the budget could be cut more.
