AAPS OKs New Teacher Contracts

The Ann Arbor Public School (AAPS) board has ratified agreements with the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA), which represents the district’s teachers, office professionals and paraeducators. The agreements will save $3.4 million for the district. The vote came at the board’s March 27, 2013 meeting.

The tentative memorandum of agreements state that they were made in response to the financial challenges the AAPS is facing, due to a lack of funding for public education.

The AAEA for teachers has agreed to a 3% salary reduction for the 2013-2014 school year. All teachers will continue to move up the salary schedule.

The AAEA for office professionals has agreed that in lieu of a percentage cut on the salary schedule, they will take six furlough days without pay during the 2013-2014 and the 2014-2015 contract years.

The AAEA for paraeducators has agreed to four furlough days without pay during the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 contract years. A step freeze will be in place for those contract years, as well.

All three bargaining groups will review the MESSA ABC plan and offer it as an alternative health insurance choice with specifics on cost and contributions to be outlined once all data has been received. As a condition on offering MESSA ABC, it must coexist with the plans currently offered and not result in any additional cost to the district. MESSA ABC is a lower-premium, higher-deductible plan that is projected to save approximately 10-25% compared to current MESSA options.

At the March 27 meeting, trustees and district superintendent Patricia Green said they were very appreciative of the work and sacrifice made by the bargaining units on behalf of the district and the students.

This brief was filed from the board room of the Ann Arbor District Library in downtown Ann Arbor at Fifth and William. A more detailed report of the meeting will follow: [link]