Schools

UCS Teachers' 1-Year Contract Includes Major Health Care Concessions

A deal approved last night with Utica Community Schools' largest bargaining unit includes 20 percent toward the Utica Education Association's health care premiums.

Utica Community School teachers agreed to a one-year contract that includes heavy concessions, especially to their health care coverage.

The Board of Education approved the agreement with the Utica Education Association Monday evening.

This is the second year the 1,600-member association has agreed to concessions, which in the past two years have saved the district about $9.2 million, according to UCS officials.

Find out what's happening in Shelby-Uticawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The agreement with the district’s largest bargaining group is part of the $25.1 million in overall contractual savings that UCS has made during the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years.

The deal includes no changes to base pay. However, teachers will receive experience-based “step” increases that had been frozen last year.

Find out what's happening in Shelby-Uticawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Also, all employees covered through the contracts are either contributing 20 percent toward their health care premiums or have agreed to plan redesigns that realize the same level of savings.

“Our employees continue to make sacrifices to address the financial realities that are facing our schools,” Superintendent Christine Johns said. “The commitment of our employees has helped to protect our core academic programs and the financial future of our schools.”

Over the past two years, district teachers, clerical, administration, transportation, custodial, skilled trades and non-affiliated employees have agreed to concessionary contracts.

In addition to the UEA contract, other recent changes for UCS employees include:

  • Transportation employees agreed to a wage freeze and a significantly reduced benefit package for an overall savings of $3.8 million in the 2011-2012 school year.
  • District administrators have agreed to a wage and step freeze and furlough days to save the district $1.5 million over a two-year period.
  • Custodial employees are in the second year of an agreement that has provided $8 million in savings to the district.
  • A restructuring of technology support has saved $1.8 million over a two-year period.
  • Other employee groups have agreed to benefit changes, wage freezes and furlough days that amount to $800,000 over a two-year period.

 “Our employees should be recognized for what they have done to keep our district financially stable,” said UCS Board President Carol Klenow.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here