Proctor Journal

Proctor teachers and the Board have ratified a two-year labor contract - after four negotiating sessions and a month ahead of a state-imposed deadline.

Teachers will receive 2 percent for 2007-08 and 2.5 percent in 2008-09 for salary. There were also some minor language changes for teacher transfers, part-time employees, extra curricular assignments, and ECFE. In addition, two memorandums of understanding covering online learning and insurance were agreed to.

A teacher with a BA-1 will receive about $31,908. A teacher with a master’s degree plus 30 years earns $58,768.

Two years ago a new teacher received about $26,600. A veteran educator earned $54,581.

The cost of the new contract is $212,000 the first year and $254,000 the second year. For the 2008 school year, Proctor is projected to spend $5.7 million on salaries. The total salary and benefits package for its teachers is $7.2 million.

Unlike most governmental negotiations, insurance was not a factor since there was no increase to the district for health insurance. “We have contained costs with the help of the teachers and innovative plans,” Superintendent Diane Rauschenfels and Business manager Stephen Anderson said.

The average lane placement for a Proctor teacher is a masters degree, Anderson pointed out. “It’s a level of abilities that our teachers have that the students benefit from,” Anderson pointed out. “They are receiving an education from knowledgeable professionals.”

“This negotiation process worked very well,” Rauschenfels stated. “We were very open with each other. We talked together about how different issues would affect each other. We trained to problem-solve together.”

“I am very appreciative of the trust level that has been built up between Education Minnesota Proctor and the School Board,” Rauschenfels stated. “We are fortunate to have an open and meaningful negotiation process that brings about the best for the students in the district.”

“Education Minnesota Proctor is very good about asking questions and the board has been pleased to provide them with information they need to make the decisions,” she added.

“Negotiations were positive,” Education Minnesota Proctor Eric Waldriff observed. “The District and the teachers union are working together to solve problems. This will benefit the district at both ends.”

“The negotiations were handled positively. Both sides went in with very open minds and we both had a good exchange of ideas,” Nancy Werner, lead negotiator for the teachers, said. “The settlement was very fair considering the financial situation of the district.”

The two three-member teams participated in 11 two-hour meetings beginning in June. “It was important for both sides to settle as quickly as we could,” Werner added.

Two years ago, 90 percent of those voting approved the contract. The vote was 78 yes to 7 no. Eighty-five of the 101 teachers voted in balloting. The previous two-year contract provided Proctor teachers with an average pay raise of 1.5 percent and 4.0 percent. In 2003-04, the average pay increase was - 0 percent; in 2004-05, 4.5 percent.

Earlier in December, Education Minnesota had recorded 104 contract settlements out of 341 districts. As of December 1, there were 83 settlements compared to 81 two years ago.

The legislature established the Jan. 15 deadline to prevent contract negotiations from dragging on for months. There is a $25 per student penalty for not meeting the deadline. Teacher contracts in Minnesota are negotiated every two years.

Average contract settlements vary depending on how they are evaluated. The average settlement is 2.59 percent the first year and 2.40 percent in the second, according to Education Minnesota

The average statewide total package for the two years from those that have settled is 6.85 percent, the Minnesota School Board Association calculated. The average increase in dollars is $2,943 the first year and $2,506 the second.

For the 12 districts that are similar in size to Proctor that have settled, their average total package increase is 6.8 percent. Locally, Barnum settled for 8.23%, Chisholm - 6.57%, Cloquet - 7.85%, Duluth - 7.06% and Esko - 8.38%.