North Slope teachers to start at $50,000...school district's board of trustees voted unanimously to approve an increase to the base salary and to the salary scale in an effort to attract more teachers to the borough's schools. For more information.

Mat-Su EA settles two-year agreement
Highlights of the contract include:

• Salary increases of 4% the first year, 3.75 in the 2nd year

• In FY10, two additional work days at per diem added before parent-teacher conferences, which equates to an additional increase of 1.1%.

• Insurance: 90% – 10% cost share between employees and employer, with any increases beyond 12% borne by employees. [Since joining the NEA-Alaska Health Trust, MSEA’s renewal rate has exceeded 12% only one time.]

• IEP meetings must be held during the workday, excluding prep time and duty free time. Substitutes will be provided for teachers involved.

• Sick leave days will be credited up front at the beginning of the year.

• Health Wellness task force and Special Education task force established.

In eight months of bargaining, Dillingham EA achieved a three-year agreement featuring increases of 3%, 2.5%, and 2% with a longevity step and a limit on employee contributions to health insurance premiums. (Aug 2007)

Aleutians East EA reached settlement on a contract for three years that includes salary schedule improvements of 5%, 4%, 3%, continued $50/month health insurance co-pay, and minor language changes. (Aug 2007)

Haines EA reached a two-year settlement: 4% on salary schedule next year with a re-opener the following year (added a step each year), increased the district’s contribution for health insurance from $871 to $1,000 each month (re-opener the following year) while staying with Plan C of the NEA-AK Health Trust, and minor language changes on salary placement and transfer. (June 2007)

Haines ESPA reached a two-year settlement: 4% on salary schedule, same increase on health insurance as above for EA unit, negotiated salary for new administrative position, $500 incentive program for not using health insurance; re-opener the following year. (June 2007)

Delta Greely ESPA will see improvements to the salary schedule ranging between 1% and 11% (the schedule was adjusted to even out the amount of each step, which varied from 1% to 7% each year, plus reward those folks that were there during the downturn in the 1990s, with 18% increases over this year by adding 3 longevity steps) for next year, 3% across the board on the schedule for the following year, health insurance cap by district will be raised by the amount of increase to the NEA-AK Health Trust (essentially folks will be held harmless), plus another 7% increase the following year, moved a couple of classifications up to the next range on the schedule (additional money for about 15% of the bargaining unit to reflect higher education requirements for the positions). (June 2007)

Delta Greely EA members also adjusted their salary schedule with a new starting salary of $40,000 (up from $36,203) and a top of $70,431 (up from $63,101) – this is for the next two years (translates to increases of 4% to 11% depending upon where folks are placed on the schedule), same insurance as for DGESPA, one additional personal leave day, respectable improvements to the added duty schedule. (June 2007)

Alaska Gateway ESPA members reached a three-year agreement: District continues to pay 100% of health insurance, two-tiered salary schedule is collapsed into one; increases the first year will average around 3% and 2% the following two years; annual leave for part-time folks. Before, they had none, and 60% of the bargaining unit is part-time. (July 2007)

Iditarod Education Association bargaining team reached a Tentative Agreement on 3/2/07. The highlights achieved in language changes were:

• EQUITABLE TREATMENT  “Teacher will have not less than 24 hours to seek representation."
• NOTIFICATION OF NON-RENEWAL  Changed March 15 to February 28 for tenured and to March 16 for non-tenured.  Replaced "in a timely manner" with "within five (5) days (when appropriate) of determining a problem exists" and added "(a Plan of Improvement with reevaluation date)."  
• LEAVES    Personal Leave, Changed to "Unused personal leave will be paid off at the daily rate."
• INSURANCE  "The District shall enroll in a Section 125 plan for its teachers." and the formation of an insurance committee .  
• HOUSING  Joint District/Assoc. Housing Committee .

Compensation  gains:

• EXTRA DUTY COMPENSATION   Changed to $19.50 an hour, based on ASAA projected approximate hours for some activities, deleted OEA, cheerleading & Music Sponsor, Inserted Battle of the Books, Aca Deca, NHS, etc under other, verified $50.00 per diem for chaperones.

• ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL (SALARY)  Change "$5,350" to "$5,778"  (8%) Change "$28.46" to "$32.00."  Add "IEA and IASD will form a joint committee to research workload equity for the principal teacher, taking into consideration on-site administrative assistance and release time from teaching.

• TRAVEL STIPEND   $500 at the end of every school year for each returning teacher.

• SALARY SCHEDULES  

• 2007 – 2008, Base increased from $36,000 to $38,500
  (6.9%), Step increased from $1,500 to $1,600 (+$100), Added BA+72 to MA + 18 column, added an additional step to each column @ $1,600

• 2008 – 2009 Base increased from $38,500 to $39,270
  (2.0%), Step increased from $1,600 to $1,700 (+$100)

• 2009 – 2010 Base increased from $39,270 to $40,055 (2.0%)

 For more information contact NEA-Alaska UniServ Director Jackie Nelson (March 07)