Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for September 1, 2007 MURPHYSBORO SETTLES

Murphysboro School District approves new contract

By Adam Testa
The Southern

MURPHYSBORO - The Murphysboro Community Unit School District 186 board approved a three-year contract for both certified and non-certified employees Thursday.

The district and the Murphysboro Education Association had worked on reaching an agreement since July, said Superintendent Chris Grode.

The new contract will provide a 4-percent increase in all salary brackets this year. Next year, a flat rate of $985.67 will be added to all salaries. This flat rate represents 3 percent of the adjusted salary for a new teacher with a bachelor's degree and no experience.

This same raise schedule also will be used for non-certified employees, Grode said. Non-certified employees include aides, kitchen staff and janitorial staff, amongst others.

MEA President Matt Hickam said teachers had helped the district's financial condition in the past. In 2003-2004, they negotiated a one-year contract with a 1-percent increase. The next year, they negotiated a three-year contract with no increase in the first year, 1.75 percent in the second and 2 percent in the third.

Now that the district is in better financial condition, Grode said these teachers are being rewarded with the higher increases, and non-certified personnel deserve the same.

"We're all one district and they made the cuts previously as well, so working together, it's what we were able to do," Grode said about granting the same increases to non-certified employees.

Hickam said teachers believe the conditions of the new contract are fair.

Under the new contract, a first year teacher will receive about $32,855 compared to $31,592 last year. The new contract pay rates go into effect with the release of first paychecks on Sept. 18.