New teachers' contract approved

More than 900 educators to receive a pay raise, step on the salary scale

By Kayla Gahagan, Journal staff | Friday, October 03, 2008

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Rapid City School District teachers have a new contract.

The Rapid City school board unanimously approved the deal Thursday. It will provide raises for the more than 900 educators retroactive to July, the start of the 2008-09 budget year.

After almost six months of negotiations, the Rapid City Education Association ratified the new proposal from the district that includes a half-percent base salary increase and a step on the salary scale for teachers, according to teachers' union co-president Sue Podoll.

Teachers who are at the top of the salary schedule and not eligible for a step increase will receive a $600 salary enhancement.

The district had offered a 1.5 percent increase to the base salary and no step increase. The teachers countered with a 1 percent increase to the base salary and a step increase for those who qualify. About one-third of the bargaining unit is eligible for a step increase this year. Step raises -- incentives for keeping experienced educators -- are awarded every two years.

While wages were debated, 11 other issues were tentatively agreed on, including allowing teachers to bank incentive leave and reducing restrictions on parental leave.

School district officials and teachers' union representatives have said throughout that the negotiations went well.

"I just feel good about both sides," district human resource director Steven Hengen said during the board meeting.

During talks, the teachers' union maintained that the goal should be a salary package that allowed the district to receive the full funding increase from the state. In Senate Bill 187, the state Legislature said if a district increases its average teacher salary and benefits package by 3 percent, it would receive an additional .5 percent for teacher salaries.

Podoll said the new contract will make the district eligible for the money from the state, which comes in the form of the $600 salary enhancements.

Hengen said the two groups probably would have settled with the district's first proposal several months ago had the teachers' union not asked for more research on receiving the extra state money.

"I think we would have settled right then," he said.

Superintendent Peter Wharton said collaboration between the two groups was evident because of the "complexity of accessing that extra percentage."

Podoll said receiving the step was important for the teachers.

"Personally, getting teachers that step was just huge," she said.

Five board members approved the contract -- Daphne Richards Cook was absent -- and new board member Bret Swanson abstained from the vote by saying "I wish."

Swanson has expressed frustration for not being allowed to participate in the negotiation discussions. Other board members said he has a conflict of interest because his wife, Jackie Swanson, is a teacher in the district and a member of the teachers' negotiating team.

Swanson wrote a letter to the editor in the Rapid City Journal this week criticizing the board for allowing negotiations to stretch out as long as they did.

Board member Leah Lutheran said she felt the board was "slam-bashed in a newspaper."

Member Doug Kinniburgh said board meetings are the appropriate place for Swanson to discuss his frustration and not in the media, but Swanson said he disagreed.

Member Arnie Laubach said a ruling by the state Supreme Court prevented the board from allowing Swanson to participate in employee negotiations, but some have argued that the law simply prevents him from voting and doesn't bar him from representing his constituents in the negotiations.

Before the meeting, teachers' union co-president Nancy Kroeger said the teachers ratified not only for the money, but the contract's language.

"You have to think about more than money," she said. "Our members are pleased with the language."

She and Podoll said they were thankful for the new contract in light of the national economic woes.

"We're pleased," Podoll said.

Contact Kayla Gahagan at 394-8410 or kayla.gahagan@rapidcityjournal.com