Teachers union approves tentative contract agreement with district

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- The Grand Rapids schools teachers union approved a tentative agreement on a contract with the district, Mary Bouwense, president of the Grand Rapids Education Association, announced Friday, June 17.

The one-year deal, reached Monday, June 13, is specific to health insurance and an enrollment incentive with summer negotiations focused on salary and other benefits.

Related: Teachers union, district reach tentative contract agreement

Bouwense said 94 percent voted in favor of the measure during 48 hours of electronic voting after Tuesday informational meetings.

"We are ready to go back and start working on the compensation package," she said, expressing optimism about the process moving forward this summer for their approximately 1,300 members.

The 16,680-student district now has tentative agreements with six of its seven unions. A deal still needs to be struck with the Police Officer Labor Council. All the unions have been working without a contract since June 30.

The school board is scheduled to vote on the tentative agreements in its Monday, June 27 meeting. Contract talks began last spring.

Photo of GRPS union members recently picketing the district administration building at 1331 Franklin St. SE this spring.

"The Grand Rapids Board of Education has tentatively agreed to invest $2.7 million collectively for all seven employee groups, targeted largely at providing relief for the burden of the rising health insurance costs," according to a joint statement from Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal and union leaders.

Under the agreement, GRPS will increase how much it currently pays toward its employee health insurance cost, which has been locked at the 2012 rate set by the state treasury department.

Since 2012, the hard caps have increased by approximately 2.5 percent each year with employees having to absorb the rise in health insurance costs. The district's increased payments range $642 to $1,854, depending on whether it is a single coverage, two-person coverage or coverage for three or more people.

Here's how the hard cap contribution breaks down:
* Single coverage - $642.11, up from $5,500
* Two-person coverage - $1,845, up from $11,000
* Three or more people -$1,751.23, up from $15,000

Bouwense said Monday planned July 1 premium increases by the Michigan Education Special Services Association (MESSA) drove this initial agreement. She said many members enrolled in a popular health plan, eliminated under the deal, were set to see increases of as much as $700 per month.

"They would have gotten slammed," she said.

State law limits what districts can pay toward insurance. Districts can choose a hard cap, which restricts the amount spent on premiums, or an 80/20 option where employees pay 20 percent of the premium cost. The hard cap is adjusted annually with inflation.

Under the enrollment incentive, employees would get additional dollars depending on how much enrollment increases. The percent allocated for compensation increases would be paid off scheduled in a stipend.

Besides the teachers group, only the Grand Rapids Public Schools Paraprofessional Association has agreed to the incentive.

An increase of 125 students triggers the incentive:

• 125 to 159 more students - 0.5 percent
• 160 to 179 - .75 percent
•180-220 - 1.0 percent
• 221-259 - 1.25 percent
• 260 or more students - 1.5 percent

The other unions with tentative agreements: the Grand Rapids Educational Support Professionals Association; Grand Rapids Association of Care Workers, Employment Training Specialist, Non-Certified Teachers, Certified Therapist Assists and Physical Therapy Assistants; Grand Rapids Educational Officers Association; and Grand Rapids Educational Officers Association Personnel .

Those groups have agreed to a wage and benefits reopener on Dec. 31, instead of the enrollment incentive.

Other districts are in negotiations this school year. On Monday, the Wyoming Board of Education unanimously approved a three-year agreement with its teachers union that included one and 1.25 percent raises over the contract period and step increases of approximately 1 percent.

Related: Teachers union, district reach tentative contract agreement

Monica Scott is an education writer. Email her at mscott2@mlive.com and follow her on Twitter @MScottGR or Facebook

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