Mike Mason, KDLG – Dillingham
The teachers who work for the Dillingham City School District have agreed to a new three-year collective bargaining agreement that includes a four-percent pay raise. Negotiations between the representatives of the teachers and the school district administration have been ongoing since December of last year. The new deal was formally presented to the Dillingham School Board during a hastily called special meeting Friday evening. Board President Kim Williams is glad to have the contract issue settled.
All four members of the Dillingham Board of Education in attendance for Friday’s meeting voted yes on approving the new deal, which was also signed off on by a large majority of the teachers in the District. Teresa Duncan is the President of the Dillingham Education Association, which represents the teachers and other certified staff.
The new collective bargaining agreement includes some substantial changes from the previous three-year deal. For instance, under the old deal teachers could use up to five days of sick leave for each death in the immediate family, which included spouses, children, parents or siblings. During Friday’s special meeting Superintendent Bill McLeod outlined the new language suggested by the Dillingham Education Association.
The new agreement stipulates that if the circumstances of death in the immediate family require travel outside of Alaska teachers can use up to seven days of sick leave. Additionally, upon request the Superintendent may extend the definition of “immediate family”. The highlight of the new agreement is a four percent yearly raise for all certified staff over the life of the agreement, which runs through June, 2013. That includes the current fiscal year. McLeod sent out an email on Friday noting that the December paychecks of teachers and other certified staff will reflect the four-percent raise and the back pay from July 1st.
The base pay for teachers is now $42,800 and that amount goes up to $44,500 in Fiscal Year 2012 and up to $46,300 during the third year of the agreement. The four-percent pay raise covers all salary levels.
