Union head says Dist. 57 contract good for teachers

Teachers in Mount Prospect Elementary District 57 are, on the whole, pleased with their recently approved contract, the head of their union said.

“They're happy that the matter is settled, so they can start focusing entirely on what they really love — educating the kids of the district,” said Cathy O'Donnell, president of the Mount Prospect Education Association.

The two-year deal, approved by the school board Nov. 17, freezes base salary levels for the length of the contract. It also eliminates “step” pay increases in the first year. Step increases generally occur with each year of service a teacher completes.

Roughly two-thirds of the 146 members of the teachers union ratified the contract, O'Donnell said.

“We understand the (economic) climate we're all working in,” she said.

O'Donnell said the union's negotiating team worked hard to obtain other concessions in the deal. For example, the contract shortens the school year from 105 to 102 staff-attendance days, she said. It also includes provisions for catastrophe leave, giving both tenured and nontenured teachers a certain amount of paid leave in the event of serious illness such as cancer.

The contract increases the amount of money available in the district's tuition-reimbursement pool, from $20,000 to $30,000. The pool is divided among teachers furthering their education.

“The contract does a lot of good things for us,” O'Donnell said.

School board member Joseph Leane said the deal compensates teachers for the vital work they do while also keeping the district's financial picture stable. District leaders anticipate having to ask voters for a tax increase some time in 2013.

The contract covers the fiscal years ending in 2012 and 2013. Negotiations for the next deal are expected to begin in early 2013.

“There isn't much time to rest,” O'Donnell said.