Raymond Voter Information Project

Article 3

Raymond Education Association (REA) Contract

Text of 2011 School Warrant Article 3

This article provides funding for the first year of a two year collective bargaining agreement between the Raymond School District and the 142 teachers in the Raymond Education Association (REA). The contract outlines working conditions and expectations for both the district and its employees. Teachers’ health premium contribution, co-pays for doctor visits and for prescription drugs increase; new rules for personal and sick leave apply; more time at school is required for faculty and student conferences, and options for student scheduling increase; new-hire insurance plans have lower premiums for both the employee and the district.

A reduced number of salary increase steps in the pay plan result in a reduced number of teachers eligible (40%) for an evergreen pay plan¹ and an increased number of teachers eligible (60%) for a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). Salaries will increase on average 2.6% in year one ($850-$2,111) and 3.5% in year two ($1200-$2264). Tax cost for year one: $50,297 or $.05 per $1000 of tax valuation.²

A YES vote approves the new contract between teachers and the district.

A NO vote means that teachers and the district will not have a contract for school year 2011-12 and must continue under the 2009-10 contract for a third year.³

Reasons why some voters might vote yes:

• The District saves $236,452 over two years due to changes that increase teachers’ health plan premiums, increased insurance and prescriptions-co pays, and only partial benefits to part time employees.⁴
• Pay increases are delayed. Teachers will receive half in the first quarter and half in the fourth quarter in the first year. The pay increase in the second year will not begin until the fourth quarter of the year.
• Teachers have not received a pay increase since 2009, and they would now pay 17% of their health insurance premiums.⁵

Reasons why some voters might vote no:

• Objections to one or all terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

References:

1. Enacted in 2008, RSA 273-A:12,VII, the Evergreen Pay Plan keeps the existing contract in place when the employer and the employee bargaining unit cannot agree on a new collective bargaining agreement before the existing one expires. This means that if a step pay plan with pay increases (other than COLA) has been negotiated, those planned increases can’t be terminated. Senate Bill 1, which repeals the Evergreen Pay Plan, is now being heard in the NH House of Representatives. It is believed that Evergreen Pay Plans take away the incentive to negotiate. For Raymond, since the REA contract takes effect on July 1st, if the evergreen law is repealed with the current “immediately effective” condition, the law will not apply to this contract.
2. Estimated tax cost for year two: $.22 per thousand of tax valuation. Ron Brickett, Business Administrator, SAU 33
3. Cost increases outside of the District’s control (insurance, retirement, etc.) must continue to be funded.
4. Saving for year one: $163,264; for year two: $73,188.
5. Most recent state data shows that the average salary for Raymond teachers is in the bottom third of NH public schools. The average salary for NH teachers is $51,443; the Raymond average is 9% less at $46,807. New Hampshire Department of Education, Teacher Average Salary in Public School Districts for School Year 2009-2010

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