Miami Herald: Pembroke Pines, teachers union reach deal on charter school pay

The Miami Herald publised this article on November 5, 2009

Teachers in Pembroke Pines’ charter schools will be getting their annual salary increases based on years of experience, after the Broward Teachers Union and city negotiators reached a tentative contract agreement Wednesday night.

The city’s 300 charter school teachers, who are represented by the teachers union, will get “step increases,” or advances on the employee salary schedule, for the 2008-09 school year and the current school year.

The two sides also agree to reduce the number of years it takes to get to the top level in the salary schedule.

Last year, the union declared an impasse in contract negotiations. The city did the same in talks this year. A double impasse hearing before a special magistrate had been scheduled for Thursday but was canceled after Wednesday night’s deal.

The union also represents teachers at Broward’s traditional public schools. The relationship between BTU and the Broward school district has gotten increasingly frosty over the past couple of years.

The district and union are still hammering out a contract for this year. The union is asking for an average 4 percent pay increase, which includes advancement for years of service. The district isn’t offering any raise but has offered to pick up the difference in employee health insurance — though insurance for dependents is skyrocketing.

In a written statement, union president Pat Santeramo praised Pembroke Pines for working out a deal.

“City officials made their employees and students a budget priority in order to bring the contract talks to a close,” Santeramo said. “It’s no wonder so many education professionals and parents of students are choosing charter schools over Broward’s traditional public schools.”

Pembroke Pines charter school teachers will vote on the agreement beginning Nov. 12. City commissioners will vote on it Nov. 17.