Teachers' union seeks restoration of frozen salaries, 5 percent base raise
The Columbia Missouri National Education Association’s negotiating team on Tuesday proposed a 5 percent increase to base and minimum salaries and compensation for teachers whose salaries were frozen during the recession.
The teachers’ union also asked for protection from interference during teacher planning time and clear and consistent expectations for workday length.
The CMNEA representatives presented their proposals to a team of Columbia Public Schools administrators; no proposals were rejected, but the parties did not reach an agreement. The groups will meet again Feb. 18 to continue negotiations.
The Columbia Board of Education froze teachers’ salaries during the recession in 2008-09 and in 2009-10. One year of that salary freeze was restored last year during collective bargaining.
The base salary on the teacher salary schedule is $30,514, while the minimum salary is $34,353. Adding 5 percent to the base salary would bring it to $32,040; adding 5 percent to the minimum salary would result in $36,071. Linda Quinley, CPS chief financial officer, said teachers in their first four years receive the minimum salary, but the district uses a formula dependent on the base salary to compute teacher salaries afterward.
Tuesday’s meeting included discussion of demands on teachers’ time. Dean Klempke, a teacher at Gentry Middle School and a CMNEA negotiating team member, said some building principals force teachers to stay at school for events that are sometimes unnecessary and uncompensated.
“That’s very strong language,” said Dana Clippard, CPS deputy superintendent.
“People shouldn't have to guess, based on who their principal is, what their professional expectations are,” Klempke said.
“It’s about where I, as a person living my life, can draw a line,” said Mary Grupe, CMNEA negotiating team member and teacher at Rock Bridge High School.
Susan McClintic, CMNEA president and a teacher at Alpha Hart Lewis Elementary School, said half of teachers have a second job to make ends meet.
The CMNEA is also seeking 250 minutes per week of planning time.
“The biggest issue for teachers is we don’t have time,” Klempke said.
Time demands include responding to parent emails, grading papers, conferences with parents and meetings, Klempke said. “It’s one of the biggest sources of teacher burnout.”
“We're just asking that you protect the time, which costs you nothing,” said CMNEA team member Kathy Steinhoff, a teacher at Hickman High School.
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