Pawtucket School Committee and Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance
Reach Tentative Collective Bargaining Agreement
Pawtucket, RI – The Pawtucket School Committee and the Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance, AFT Local 930, AFL-CIO, have reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement which was approved by the Committee on May 13, 2014 and ratified by the Alliance membership on May The tentative agreement provides for a one-year extension of the current contract, retroactive to September 1, 2013, governing the 2013-2014 school year, and an updated three-year contract commencing on September 1, 2014 and expiring on August 31, 2017. This agreement provides a total salary increase of 6.75 percent over the three-year contract period between fiscal years 2015 and 2017—the first salary increase for Alliance members since 2010.
The Union has agreed to incorporate fair and reasonable increases in the percentage of health insurance cost-sharing and have agreed to a deductible health insurance plan. The contract also includes an increase in the co-pay for prescriptions. Effective September 1, 2014, the deductibles will be $250 for individuals and $500 for families and the cost-sharing percentages increase from 10% to 17% over the life of the contract.
“It was clearly evident during these negotiations that there is a healthy working relationship between the Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance and the Pawtucket School Committee,” said Michael Araujo, Pawtucket School Committee Chairperson. “This agreement is symbolic of the mutual respect and understanding that both parties have for each other and the work that they do. I feel that this agreement is fair to both sides and endorse it for approval by the City Council.”
“I am very pleased that we were able to come to a successful agreement,” said Ronald Beaupre, Pawtucket Teachers’ Alliance President. “This contract represents a fair agreement for both the Pawtucket School Department and our members. After a long year of negotiations, I feel we have reached a settlement that the Pawtucket City Council can embrace.” The tentative agreement must now go to the Pawtucket City Council for final approval.