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BULLETIN

WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From the White Plains Teachers Association. June 20, 2017:

Kerry Broderick, President of the Teachers’ union of the White Plains School District reports to WPCNR this evening:

“The WPTA membership ratified the (Board of Education) memorandum of agreement today (411-60).  I am grateful to the membership for their confidence in the settlement.  It is a settlement that addresses the concerns and needs of the the WPTA membership and the district, the board and the community.”

The contract approved in voting that began Tuesday afternoon at 4 approved the following arrangements:

The contract is a 2-year contract beginning in 10 days, July 1, 2017. It increases all Step Salary levels 1% and in addition elevates all present teaching staff to the next step level, in their next year.

New teachers beginning July 1st will receive the 1% increase applied across all 20 Step  levels. This raises the salary of a 1st year teacher with a Bachelor of Arts to $56,161 (from $55,605,currently).

Teachers already on staff today will receive 3 to 5% more salary next year, because their status will be raised one step above what they would be eligible for in the previous contract. They get a year’s increase in step pay which they would not have gotten until next year under the previous contract.

The contract increases teachers’ payments of their health insurance portion .75% the next two years from 13.5% this year to 14% beginning July 1, and 14.25%, July 1, 2018.

Asked if pensions were affected by the advancement in the step status of present staff, Dr. Smith explained to WPCNR they were:

“Pensions are determined by a formula based on years of service at the time of retirement in a position covered by the State Retirement System and an average of highest salaries earned by the retiring teacher during their service.  So a teacher’s future pension will increase as a result of step movement on the salary schedule in 2017-18 representing both another year of service and a higher salary.”

The contract  increases teachers’ payments of their health insurance portion .75% from 13.5% this year to 14% beginning July 1, and 14.25%, July 1, 2018.

The cost for the portion of payment a family health  plan the teachers are responsible for is $3,458 , s single plan is $1,544, beginning July 1. On July 1, 2018, those costs go up to $3,672 and $1,639. These shares of currently on staff teachers paying the cost of their health insurance are partially and sometimes completely covered by the effects of the automatic step to the next increased step level they will be receiving, a level of salary  they would not have been eligible for until July 1, 2018.

The contract gives them better compensation than if they chose to continue to work under the Triborough Agreement (in lieu of a contract in place).

One example:  if you have a Master of Arts and are eligible for Step 2 salary, under the new Memorandum of agreement you receive $69,702 beginning July 1. If the Triborough plan is opted for (by rejection of the contract proposal), that M.A. would only receive $69,012. On July 1, 2018, that MA now at Step 2, would be more ahead, because they would receive $73,111  compared to $71,671 under the Triborough agreement.

The  holder of a Masters of Arts now on staff who would reach Step 4 as of July1, 2018 is $2,130 ahead of what they would receive if the Teachers Union votes to turn down the Memorandum of Agreement  The presently on-staff teachers  receive approximately the salary  increase equivalent of one  year more of service under the former contract.