The Bristol School Board on Tuesday night tabled a decision on a new teacher compensation plan that included what many staff saw as a reduction in retirement benefits.
Teachers filled the meeting room and 12 spoke about their view that the cuts were unfair especially in view of what they contended was an generous retirement plan for longtime district administrator Gale Ryczek, who is retiring as of July 1.
The latest teacher retirement plan was discussed with teachers for the first time at a meeting at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at the school.
The tabled plan proposed reducing eligible staff’s retirement compensation from 25 percent of their June 1, 2011 salary for seven years to 15 percent, teachers explained. More recently hired teachers would lose any stipend and instead receive an annual payment into a tax sheltered annuity.
The teachers who spoke at the meeting contrasted this with Ryczek’s retirement plan, which they say will in part have him receive 25 percent of his current salary for seven years. Ryczek also will be receiving extended health insurance coverage.
“How can the board justify enriching his retirement compensation, while reducing it for all other eligible employees?” asked teacher Elisa Jeffson.
Teachers also questioned payments to Ryczek’s spouse including if he dies before the seven years is up, for which the spouses of teachers are not eligible.
School board member Katie O’Neill moved to table the compensation plan because she felt the teachers were not given enough time to understand its provisions.
But O’Neill did say that the financial position of the school district required some change to retirement benefits for teachers.
“There are going to be cuts,” O’Neill, in her last board meeting, said. “It’s not going to be exactly like it was during collective bargaining.”
Teachers asked for collaboration on compensation between the board and teachers.
Board Vice President Kathy LeFebve said she was willing to dig deeper to explore other solutions, but she reinforced O’Neill’s position about the need for cuts.
“I absolutely appreciate all of the comments and your willingness to come to the meeting,” said LeFebve. “We do not have the budget to support what we have in place today. We have a fiscal responsibility to be fiscally sound.”
No procedure was set at the meeting about further discussion between the board and teachers on the compensation plan. Consideration of the plan was tentatively placed on the May board agenda.
When changes like this are proposed going forward don’t all of the promises of the past lock in? Are these changes only for time going forward starting at the beginning of the next school year?
For a employer of any sort to change in the middle of the game benefits retro active makes one wonder what assurances there are in any kind of a signed contract at all.
Contracts are from contract to contract. The union would make the boards stick to their promises. Act 10 cut the unions and you are now seeing the chaos. They can do what ever they want. Board changes and so does the working conditions and wages. Teacher and Administrators are now bouncing from school to school. Watch it and you will see I am right.
Welcome to the real world! If you don’t like your job, boss, pay, or the administrator doesnt tell you how special you are each day, go somewhere else. Once you leave there will be 40 teachers interviewing for your job. Thank GOD for Act 10. It allows schools to be able to retain and pay good Teachers. Teachers whining about how hard they have it when they work 9 months out if the year is getting old.