How much could salary cuts save U-46?

Nearly 25 percent of employees in Elgin Area School District U-46 are out of a job next year unless one of two things happen.

The state's funding picture could, theoretically, improve. Or staff pay and benefit cuts could be negotiated.

According its recently amended budget, U-46 will spend $323.7 million on salaries and benefits in 2009-10.

If state funding is reduced, U-46 expects next year's deficit to be $44 million.

The layoffs announced Monday are part of $29 million in budget cuts that can be made before union contract negotiations. But officials hope to negotiate anywhere from $2 million to $20 million, according to district estimates.

In January and February, parents, teachers, local leaders and union officials all got the chance to cast anonymous, computerized votes on how budget cuts could be made.

The 48 cost-cutting options voters could select from were divided into several categories: administrative costs, salaries and benefits, operations, school staffing, and other staffing. Voters were tasked with selecting items to cut until they reached a $40 million total.

Of 459 votes, 439 opted for increasing employee contributions for insurance at some level.

Raising individual insurance contributions from 10 to 20 percent would save U-46 $4.3 million. Bringing the contribution up to 30 percent would save $8.7 million.

Similarly, 453 voted for decreasing employee pay between 1 and 5 percent.

Reducing pay by 5 percent across the board - which would save $11 million - received 197 votes. Cutting pay 2 percent - saving $4.4 million - got 99 votes. Even a 1 percent pay cut would yield $2.2 million in savings.

Votes cast on each of the cuts were broken down into two groups: employees and others. Of all the pay cut scenarios, a 2-percent pay cut got the most support from employees: 82 of 99 votes.

Average teacher salary, according to 2009 state report cards, is $66,489.

Negotiating $10 million in salary and/or benefit cuts could save about 150 jobs.

With state funding uncertain, and pay cuts not yet on the bargaining table, U-46 has laid off more people than necessary to pad itself. District officials are also assuming no raises for administrators, teachers and nonunion employees. The layoffs break down into 732 full-time teaching positions; 106 secretarial positions, 121 educational assistants; 54 transportation workers; and 24 administrators and nonunion employees. The board will vote on 21 custodial layoffs and 21 food service layoffs at a later meeting, bringing the total number to 1,079.

Superintendent Jose Torres said staff will be recalled later this spring if revenue improves.

Whether pay cuts will ultimately be negotiated is anybody's guess right now. The Elgin Teachers Association, with 2,693 members, is by far the biggest player among the district's unions. With its contract expiring in August, it has scheduled five bargaining sessions with the district for April and May.

Both Torres and teachers union President Tim Davis have declined to get into detail about potential salary cuts.

Last Friday, Torres said cuts likely would be a part of the conversation during negotiations.

"Dealing with the deficit is going to permanently change hundreds of teaching lives and student lives," Davis told the board Monday. "... We are willing to help find solutions. I believe we are not the cause of the struggle and we will lobby aggressively to be ... part of the solution."

Other suburban teachers unions' reactions to proposed pay cuts have run the gamut.

Two weeks ago, Batavia Unit District 101 teachers offered to take $2.3 million in salary and benefit cuts to save 60 teaching jobs.

On March 9, the Maine Township District 207 teachers union voted 345-224 against reopening their contract to consider foregoing a one-year 3.2 percent base salary increase to save 40 to 45 teaching jobs.

In Kaneland Unit District 302, the teachers union refused earlier this year to renegotiate its contract, in which base pay is due to go up 5.6 percent next year. But on March 8, the union told the district it wanted to "engage in informal discussions of the 2010-11 budget" with district officials.

Staff writer Susan Sarkauskas contributed to this report.