Norfolk Teachers Have Been Willing to Make Sacrifices to Help Close Budget Gap

To The Community of Norfolk:

We were quite surprised by the two articles in the Boomerang on Friday, June 25, 2010, that implied negotiations had ended and that the elementary school teachers were unwilling to negotiate.

Last year when we were asked to take a pay freeze, the Norfolk Teachers Association (NTA) instead offered to take up to two unpaid furlough days and eliminate our course/workshop reimbursement for a total of approximately $116,000 in order to help with the budget problems in the district. This past spring all town employees were asked to increase our co-pays and prescription costs in exchange for a lower health insurance premium increase. This saved the town approximately $ 67,000 (for the new fiscal year), a large portion of which is due to the school employees bearing increased costs.

This year, when the NTA was asked to consider a wage freeze, the teachers made an offer, following the agreements reached by the town with other town departments last year, to defer our 2010- 2011 raise for one year. This would have saved the school department. approximately $167,000 for next year, and decreased pay to our members. The NTA also offered to take a wage freeze next year, and extend our contract for two additional years, in an attempt to spread out the 2010-2011 negotiated raise over those two years. In addition, the NTA offered other possible economic considerations (which included furlough days) to reduce the expected budget problems that potentially could total $110,000. Despite the best efforts of both sides, the parties were not able to reach an agreement, but for the articles to indicate that the NTA has declined to consider concessions is not accurate.

We understand the need for considering changes in order to balance the budget, and, the Committee and the NTA worked diligently to reach a mutual agreement, but, at this time, we have not reached a resolution. However, we feel that the article implied that the NTA had not considered making any changes to its previously negotiated contract to address the financial situation and we want the community to be aware that the teachers had been responsive, sensitive, and engaged in ongoing discussions with the School Committee. The members of the NTA have been willing to make substantial personal financial sacrifices to help close the school’s budget gap. We don’t feel that message was conveyed in the two articles in the Boomerang from late June.

Respectfully,

Ellen Horton, NTA President Kathy Maloof, NTA Vice President

Kelly Whitmore, NTA Secretary

Kathy O’Shea, NTA Treasurer Holli Merritt, NTA Member and Past Secretary