Negotiations can be challenging and, at times, contentious. We have tried very hard to keep the negotiations with the Swampscott Education Association (SEA) at the bargaining table, realizing that making it a public process does not enhance the chances for success. However, after weeks of inaccurate and misleading information being put forth by the SEA, we feel compelled to set the record straight.
Our children, like all Swampscott students, continue to reap the benefits of our amazing teachers. We also are concerned about maintaining our competitive edge and superior schools. It is for this reason that financial sustainability informs our decision making.
Respect and admiration for our educators doesn’t preclude being fiscally responsible. We are committed to ensuring our teachers remain well compensated. Swampscott taxpayers can be proud of the way the town funds the school district. Like similar districts, ours receives more than 60 percent of town revenues, which translates to higher than average per-pupil spending. More than 80 percent of our school budget is earmarked for compensation.
Several proposals were made to union leadership in April as a starting point to what we hoped would be a collaborative process. All were turned down. The district also proposed restructuring the wage scale only for teachers hired after the contract is signed. While this would not impact any current employees and would provide critical budget relief, that proposal was rejected.
Most recently, we offered a proposal in which every educator would receive:
- a salary increase between 1 percent and 6.3 percent annually for three years;
- a one-time $1,000 signing bonus; and
- the ability to continue to earn additional increases, including longevity and compound longevity (not available in most districts) up to $6,800, and additional income for post-graduate credits.
This proposal was also rejected.
The union is demanding an annual 3 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) raise on top of the other increases we are already paying. This would cost the district more than $3.1 million over three years for just the COLA raise. We cannot afford this.
This is not a case of having money that we don’t want to spend. This is about having a finite amount of revenue and directing the most we can afford toward compensation. This is about slowing expense growth so we can maintain programming, staffing, and reasonable class sizes and build a new school. We understand the union’s desire to maximize earning potential for its members, but our inability to agree to unaffordable demands should not be equated with a lack of respect for teachers’ contributions to our district.
We need a contract that is sustainable. We have to face fiscal realities while ensuring that our educators remain well compensated.
There are more meetings scheduled and we remain hopeful that both sides can work together to come to a reasonable agreement.
Please be assured that we are fighting for our students and teachers every day.
Swampscott School Committee
Gargi Cooper, Chair
Suzanne Wright, Vice Chair
Ted Delano
Carin Marshall
Amy O’Connor
