The bargaining team for the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association (HSEA) updated teachers in a rainy outdoor meeting prior to the Wednesday night Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board meeting.  “We are hopeful we are getting closer and closer,” said Craig Frawley, a leader on the teacher bargaining team.

Frawley and fellow bargaining team member Brie Toste detailed the back and forth proposals in negotiating sessions so far.  At Wednesday’s meeting, Frawley said HSE administrators offered each teacher a $1,200 pay increase, HSEA  countered with a $1,600 pay hike.

But there are two other sticking points in these talks, according to HSEA.  Those choosing the traditional PPO health insurance plan will see an 8.5% increase in premiums.  HSE is pushing for teachers to choose the high-deductible plan, which bridges the gap in coverage with Health Savings Accounts.  The bargaining team recently sent a message to teachers explaining how the high-deducible plan with a Health Savings Account would work.

The largest reaction from the teachers listening to this update was the administration’s proposal to eliminate the salary schedule.  Frawley said that would give HSE administrators  the right to place any teacher where they would choose on the pay scale.  The last offer from HSE giving each teacher $1,200 included elimination of the salary schedule.

HSEA bargaining team members emphasized how hard the union has fought to keep the teacher salary schedule throughout all the changes in state law, arguing giving that up would be “huge.”  The bargaining team told teachers it is important to protect the contract language the union has fought so hard to keep.

The final bargaining session is scheduled for Friday this week.  If no agreement is reached, a mediator appointed by the state will work with both sides to come to an agreement.  If that is not accomplished within 30 days, the state will begin a fact-finding process in which a contract could be imposed on both parties.