By JON BAKER

LINCOLN — The School Committee on Sunday  voted to grant district teachers a new three-year collective bargaining agreement after eight months of negotiating.

The School Committee’s “talks” team — consisting of Chairwoman Mary Anne Roll, Vice-Chair Betty Robson, Superintendent Georgia Fortunato, School Business Administrator Lori A. Miller and School District Attorney Benjamin M. Scungio — had submitted a final tentative agreement to the committee Sunday night, while the Lincoln Teachers’ Association had ratified the pact earlier in the afternoon.
In essence, the School Committee’s negotiations unit reported the district would pay a staggered salary increase over the three-years term, based on years of service and position and utilizing a “steps” system. First- through fourth-step teachers will receive a one-percent increase in the initial year, with a two-percent raise over the next two.
As for fifth- through ninth-step educators, they would garner a two-percent increase during the first year of the contract, and 2½ percent the succeeding two years; while 10th-step teachers would receive a three-percent raise for the three-year life of the contract.
“From a budget perspective, the increases are equivalent to a blended rate of 2.65 percent for the first year and 2.9 percent for the remaining two years, which should fit into our budget projections based on cost-saving measures agreed to by the teacher’s union,” Roll said.
“We are grateful that the (LTA) recognized that the town has limited financial means to afford high raises.
“Also, we are in a climate of hard financial times with dwindling state aid to education … The union and the School Committee worked hard to come up with a financial strategy to provide a fair increase while saving significant dollars in other areas of the contract,” she added. “We were able to agree to institute other contract reform measures that benefited the district.
“For instance, we eliminated sabbatical leave, which saves the district approximately $89,000 per year. Also, we eliminated three sick days, and will be tightening up language for the use of the employees’ sick bank.”
None of that seemed to faze LTA President Mary Ann Canning McComiskey, the “chief” of the 11-member squad seeking a new contract.
“It was a pleasure working collaboratively with the School Committee’s negotiation team,” Canning-McComiskey stated. “It was a very fair process, aided by open and honest communication. The members of the LTA are committed to providing the best possible education to our students while being mindful of the fiscal constraints of the town.”
Added Robson: “To assist the district in affording the salary increases, the union agreed to assume a greater responsibility in haring the cost of their health care. Teachers’ cost share will increase from 10.5 percent to 15 percent over the three years of the contract.
This increased cost share is among the highest in the state for teacher contracts.
“Additionally, we increased a critical co-pay within the Blue Cross plan. Emergency room co-pcay will move from $50 to $100 per visit. Our health-care representatives informed us that by increasing internal co-pays, we will achieve greater savings. The insurance ‘buyback’ provision of the contract was reduced significantly, from $3,200 to $2,300. Finally, teachers desiring to receive a more expensive plan than the Healthmate coverage offered in the agreement, must pay the difference in cost, plus the cost share.
“Our team addressed a number of educational concerns as well,” Robson continued. “The union and School Committee shared the goal of increasing the time available for parents to confer with teachers.”
To comply with the wording of the new contract, educators must remain at school two hours and 30 minutes on all conference days, while an early-release time (for students) will be provided at the high school. That would give parents more freedom for conferences in the early afternoon, as well as the evening, and reduce possible “wait time.”
Elementary school teachers agreed to make permanent an increase in instructional time to 330 minutes, which would conform with Department of Education regulations.
Offered Canning-McComiskey: “Parental involvement is an essential component of school success, and the LTA is committed to improving home-school communication … This is a contract that validates not only the commitment of the teachers to the (district’s) students, but also sends the signal -- loud and clear -- that we are all members of the community at large and share the educational and fiscal concerns of the town.”
The School Committee also voted to grant a three-year contract to its instructional assistants, custodians and secretaries. That agreement will provide a three-percent raise each year, as well as an increase in health insurance cost care from five and 10 percent to 11.5 percent during that period.
New in the contract: The application of the co-share to the health-dental “buyback” amount that will net significant savings to the district.
“The members of Local 2671 overwhelmingly ratified the three-year agreement,” said Paul Szymczuk, AFSCME Council 94, Local 2671 President. “In today’s economy, we realize that the cost of health care, as well as other expenses, are sky-rocketing. We feel that the School Committee and the union made reasonable efforts to negotiate a fair and equitable agreement for the non-certified employees of the school department, with the best interests of the (Lincoln) taxpayers in mind.”
Stated Fortunato, who approved both contracts: “We look forward to a successful opening of schools with our teachers and support staffs this year, knowing that all sides kept the interests of Lincoln’s students first in these contracts, and throughout our discussions. With both contracts under our belt, we are ready to start the new school year, and focus on educating our students.”