SHARE

Greenburgh Schools, Teachers Reach Contract Agreement

GREENBURGH, N.Y. – An agreement between the Greenburgh Teachers Federation and the Board of Education includes modest flat dollar increases to teachers' pay for this year and the 2013-14 school year, as well as increased teacher contributions to health insurance.

The Greenburgh Board of Education and the Greenburgh Teachers Federation have reached an agreement.

The Greenburgh Board of Education and the Greenburgh Teachers Federation have reached an agreement.

Photo Credit: File Photo

The agreement comes after four years without a contract. The six-year contract covers July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2015.

“We are pleased to have reached a mutual agreement between the District and the Greenburgh Teachers Federation,” Lloyd Newland, president of the board of education for Greenburgh Central 7, said in a statement “It was a tremendous amount of commitment and dedication to our students and teachers on both sides. We understood the needs of our students and teachers in the classroom and remained aware of the economic conditions and the burden our taxpayers face outside of the classrooms.”

Teachers' salaries remained unchanged during the first three years of the contract. The flat dollar increases range from $0 to $2,000 depending on a teacher's step in the salary schedule. Teaching assistants will also receive a one-time payment of $525 this year and receive a small salary increase next year.

The agreement also states each salary step will be increased by $1,500 effective September 2013. Both parties agreed to reopen negotiations on the issue of salary in 2014.

Teachers' contributions to individual health insurance will be increased to 6.5 percent in July 2013 and 7.5 percent in July 2014. Teachers choosing the Oxford option will pay 10 percent of the individual cost beginning July 2013.

Both parties agreed to create a health insurance advisory committee to review plans offered by the district and issue a report and recommendations by February 2014.

The agreement also adds a retirement incentive for teachers or teaching assistants during the first year they are eligible to retire without penalty.

“This has been a long struggle in my very short term as president,” Judie Mirra, president of the Greenburgh Teachers Federation, said in a statement. “While both sides had to make concessions, we were always cognizant of the economic challenges we were facing. I am happy and very pleased, however, that the negotiations team was able to reach an agreement with the district. The Greenburgh Teachers Federation looks forward to continuing to work with the Greenburgh Central 7 school district to benefit the students, teachers and the entire Greenburgh community overall.”

to follow Daily Voice Greenburgh and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE