Strongsville Teachers Strike is Over; New Contract Raises Pay, Slashes Insurance

The Strongsville School Board unanimously ratified a new contract for teachers, ending the eight-week-old strike.

The vote Sunday morning follows approval of the contract Saturday evening by the 383-member Strongsville Education Association.

"This is a great day for the school district, the city of Strongsville and, most importantly, the students who suffered and endured over these last eight weeks," School Board President David Frazee said.

SEA President Tracy Linscott also said the deal is good for those involved.

"I'm happy it's over," she said.

The new contract, which is posted on the district's website, contains the step and column increases the SEA was looking for.

But the money for those increases comes directly from deep cuts to the teachers' health care coverage, which went from a 90/10 plan to an 80/20, and also reduced the amount of coverage in a number of areas.

“Essentially, the SEA agreed to concessions on teachers’ healthcare plans that offset the increase in compensation teachers will be getting. There is no material increase in cost from our April 14, 2013 proposal," Frazee said in a news release.

Vision care is no longer paid by the district, and dental insurance now covers only two routine cleanings and exams per year. Teachers will pay 100 percent for X-rays and other dental work.

The prescription plan was also changed dramatically for higher out-of-pocket costs for teachers.

The teachers swapped pay increases -- almost dollar for dollar -- with health insurance coverage.

"They were looking for insurance concessions, so that's what we gave them," Linscott said

She said the teachers actually gave more in health care concessions than they will receive in step and column raises.

"The cost of insurance exceeds what we're getting in steps and columns," she said. 

The district agreed to give teachers who aren't eligible for step increases a payment of $1,200 for each of the next two years. 

The three-year deal runs through 2015.

“We appreciate the concessions our teachers made that allow our school district to stay in the black. We promised our community we would approve an agreement that was economically sustainable. We have. This was our single goal from the start. We appreciate the commitment of our negotiation team in this process. Let the healing begin," Frazee said.

The contract also includes a no reprisal clause that prevents teachers from being punished for their activity before and during the strike.

"The community will want to know whether there is a no reprisal clause in this agreement. Like most final agreements after a strike, there is a no reprisal clause,” Frazee said in the relase. “However, both the SEA and BOE recognize that the decisions made by law enforcement, the Berea Municipal Court or the Ohio Department of Education are separate and apart from this agreement.”

Linscott said the clause also protects students who did not attend school during the strike.

Superintendent John Krupinski said the contract includes some revisions to teachers' planning time and duties.

“We have modified teacher duty assignments to improve student performance. That means duty time will be more effective and efficient," Krupinski said. "Planning time will remain the same. Both of these items will positively impact student achievement.”

Teachers did not get the cap on class sizes they were seeking, but did get some language changes on evaluations and reduction in force Linscott said was aimed at keeping high-quality teachers in the district.

The contract also includes a break-even item both sides agreed to early on -- replacing the district's 9.3 percent pickup of teachers' retirement contributions with a 10.3 percent increase in base pay.

While teachers did not benefit financially from the strike, Linscott said she believes the work stoppage did what it intended.

She maintains the district held out on a contract as a way to break the union.

"(For the School Board) it was not about the money or the kids. It was about breaking us down so it would be easier for them in the future," she said. "I think (the strike) showed we stood up for what we believed in."