Sunday, April 25, 2010

Courier article compares proposals

The Courier Times compared teacher contract proposals between four (4) districts: Hatboro-Horsham, North Penn, Pennsbury, and Neshaminy. The comparison demonstrates that Neshaminy's offer is more than fair. Here are some highlights from the comparison:

Salary Increase (Board proposal):
Hatboro-Horsham - 1.67 to 1.77% ranging over 3 years
North Penn - 1.98 to 3.56 ranging over 5 years
Pennsbury - Total Pay Freeze
Neshaminy - 3% ranging over 3 years

Medical Contribution (Board proposal):
Hatboro-Horsham - 11 to 13% ranging over 3 years
North Penn - 10/11/11/12/12% ranging over 5 years
Pennsbury - 12%
Neshaminy - 15-17% ranging over 3 years


Neshaminy's original offer to the NFT was for medical contributions of 10-12% over 3 years for a reduced-cost plan, but the NFT insisted on maintaining its top tier insurance coverage. Due to the high cost of this plan, the Board increased the proposed medical contribution to 15-17% over 3 years. Also keep in mind that the Board did not decrease its proposed raise of an average 3% annually.

Had the NFT accepted the Board's original offer (reduced costs plan with 10-12% contribution), the annual cost savings would have been around $4 million; and if NESPA accepted the Board's original offer the annual savings would have been $1 million. Add those savings together and we would have already reduced our deficit below the Act 1 limit.

The Board's latest offer to the NFT (top tier insurance with 15-17% contribution) would save the district around $3 million annually.
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8 comments:

Unknown said...

Well get a load of that, if teachers and support workers both accepted the board's offer most of the deficit would be gone and we wouldn't have to be talking about outsourcing. So what is more important? Protecting your rolls royce benefit plan or saving jobs of your co workers. If the union leaders don't worry about the jobs of co workers then don't expect us to worry about it when we outsource jobs.

Neo Con said...

I hear that the support staff are concerned not just about the health plan but more or less concerned about a clause in the new contract that would allow the district to reserve the right to outsource departments at any time throughout that new contract. As far as the teachers union goes...wake up, turn on the news, and take a look at New Jersey. That governor of theirs wants no pay increase and co payment of healthcare.

Unknown said...

That's been mentioned before on this blog Neo but the NESPA strategy makes no sense. We don't want the board to potentially outsource us so we'll put them in the position that they have no choice but to outsource us?
I'll bet that if NESPA accepted all other terms of the board's offer except that one, the board would have given up on that one sticking point.
Instead NESPA insists on fighting the board and as a result they definitely will be outsourced instead of possibly being outsourced.

acs said...

News Flash, Clearly there are 6 votes on the board to outsource including our illustrious blog host Mr. O'Connor. NESPA will get one chance to match the private labor cost for Busing and custodial. They won't do it, again miscalculating due to an incompetent leader. They will then try to litigate and will lose the challenge in court since the board has acted beyond good faith. They will all be working for private firms making less money with less benefits when school starts in Sept. Itcould have been so diferent had they accepted the generous offer of the board.
Oh, by the way except for Mindy who will go on in her current job with great pay and benefits setleing with the board with whoever is left in NESPA.

tiredparent said...

William in today newpaper there is a articule on the pension board raising the rate to 5.64 for 2010-2011 that is up 4 percent. Will the board now take this new info into consideration when speaking or making any offers for new contracts. It seems to me that based on the current deficit and this new info we should change the current offers to make sense with what is being asking of the distict.

William O'Connor said...

Dear Tired,

The article in the paper refers to the Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System, not the SCHOOL retirement system. These are two different things even though both are managed through the State. The rate for the SCHOOL workers' pension for 2010-11 remains unchanged at 8.22%.

tiredparent said...

Opps! My bad I didn't realize that I guess I thought since the lawmakers boosted their pension 50% and they also raised the teachers 25% that one had to do with the other!

William O'Connor said...

Nothing to apologize for, TiredParent. It is confusing, so I just added a post to the Blog to avoid further confusion.