*As other questions arise, including contract information, contract implementation or general disinformation, this page will be updated. This page was last updated 4/1/23 at 8:30 am.
Among other gains, the Tentative Agreement includes salary increases benchmarked to the average of the top 5 highest settlements in Monroe County, a Retention Incentive, a 22% increase in hourly rates, more time for preparing IEPs, and compensation for assuming class coverage or added students. It does not include any of the draconian give-backs originally demanded by the District’s prior administration.
Q: How long is the contract and how much is the salary increase?
A: It is a three-year contract, retroactive to July 1, 2022, and expires on June 30, 2025. In the first year (2022-23), the salary increase is 3.8% (retroactive to July 1, 2022) plus an additional $1,500 Retention Incentive for all full-time employees who worked the entire year (part-time employees will be prorated). In the second year (2023-24), the salary increase is 3.8% and an additional $1,500 Retention Incentive for all full-time employees who worked the entire year (part-time employees will be prorated). In the third year (2024-25), the salary increase is 3.8%. The Retention Incentive amount will be prorated for bargaining members working less than full-time and bargaining unit members resigning due to extenuating medical reasons. To see the new salary schedule click here.
Q: Are there any increases in the hourly rates?
A: Yes. The current $35.00 hourly rate will be increased to $39.00 per hour for the 2023-24 school year and to $43.00 per hour beginning with the 2024-25 school year. The current $41.00 hourly rate for teaching in the extended day programs or at evening schools will be increased to $45.00 per hour for the 2023-24 school year and to $49.00 per hour beginning with the 2024-25 school year. This represents a 22% increase in hourly rates over the life of the contract. The increases in hourly rates begin to apply on July 1, 2023.
Q: When does the raise kick in and when will we get retroactivity in our salary?
A: The newly-negotiated raises for teachers are reflected starting with the February 10th paycheck. (remember it is the difference between your Triborough increase, which you were already getting, and 3.8%. You also will now be eligible to receive the $1500 retention incentive.) We have been notified by Shawn Farr, the District’s new Chief Financial Officer, that the retroactive pay, going back to July 1, 2022, is targeted for May. And the $1,500 Retention Incentive will be paid in a separate check this June. He also indicated that the District is creating a process to capture information to be used for payments to Elementary teachers who are assigned students from uncovered classes.
Q: How does our salary increase compare to other settlements in Monroe County?
A: In the first two years of our new contract, the salary increase (3.8% plus $1,500 Retention Incentive) adds up to 6.1% (very close to the inflation rate) each year. That is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest salary increase for any teacher contract in Monroe County—and possibly in New York State.
Q: What are the changes in our healthcare?
A: The District and the RTA agreed that the RTA’s “Blue EPO Enhanced Plan” will be retitled “Blue EPO-RTA Enhanced Plan.” ALL SERVICES, BENEFITS AND PREMIUM CONTRIBUTIONS REMAIN UNDIMINISHED AND EXACTLY THE SAME AS NOW – with the sole exception that, as of January 1, 2024, RTA bargaining unit members only will be eligible to receive a maximum of $300 annually per bargaining unit member for participation in the Healthy Rewards Program.
Q: Why can’t I check my Rally/Healthy Rewards account?
A. Everyone should now be able to check his/her account. We are aware of some members having problems with sporadic access to their Rally Rewards account. The District and Excellus have contacted all impacted members and rectified the problem.
Q: Has the District already switched our Rally Healthy Rewards plan before the ratification vote? I don’t have the same access that I had before.
A: No, this is false. Nothing has changed yet with the Rally Healthy Rewards plan. Each year Excellus updates plan information and the app which takes place on January 1st. This happens every year and can take several days to complete. This issue has already been resolved. The language in the new contract states that “The available services and premium contributions for all members in the Blue EPO—RTA Enhanced Plan shall be the same as the Blue EPO Enhanced Plan, except that as of January 1, 2024, bargaining unit members shall be eligible to receive $300 per bargaining unit member for participation in the Healthy Rewards Program.” There are no changes to the (Rally) Healthy Rewards Program until 1/1/2024.
Q: Are we losing Rally/Healthy Awards?
A: As an Employee of the District you are not losing them. However, non-district spouses will not be able to participate as of 1/1/24. Also, as of 1/1/24, the cap of rewards will be $300.00. This helped to preserve the current copays that everyone is charged with and avoid any other diminution of health benefits.
Q: Are we getting retroactive pay?
A: Yes. There are two references to the duration of the contract that make it clear that all raises are retroactive: 1) Duration Section 6 states: The provisions of this Agreement shall be effective on July 1, 2022 (unless otherwise indicated) and shall continue in effect until June 30, 2025… 2) From the Tentative Agreement, Section 46.6 “The parties have determined that the salary benchmarking formula for the school year 2022-23 is 3.8%. Increases of 3.8%, inclusive of the Triborough increases already applied, shall be applied to the 2021-2022 salary schedule (Appendix A) retroactive to July 1, 2022….”
Q: Is the salary increase retroactive?
A: Yes, the salary increase is retroactive to July 1, 2022. All prior contracts and contract extensions have also been fully retroactive as well.
Q: Does everyone get the $1500 Retention Incentive or just new teachers?
A: Everyone will receive the Retention Incentive as long as they remain employed until the end of the respective school year. The incentive is mainly intended to retain teachers who already work in the District.
Q: Did we add any more unpaid PD/time to the school year?
A: No. There has been no time added to your commitment over the school year. Until the new settlement, teachers were already required to attend up to ten (10) staff meetings per year. Under the new contract, teachers are required to attend only up to one staff meeting every other month and up to one professional development session every other month. These professional development meetings will take into consideration the collective wisdom of teachers, district-wide goals, and school-wide needs. This represents a better use of existing time–not any additional time.
Q: Is this the first time we have had a contract since 2018?
A: No. Since 1982, when the Triborough Amendment was passed, we have always had a contract or contract extensions. And we have always received retroactivity in salary.
Q: Isn’t the 15-minute dismissal time extending the school day?
A: No, that is a false comparison. Teachers already participate in the dismissal of students. The new language puts a cap on teachers’ time at the end of the day. The specific wording has “up to” 15 minutes and it can be used solely for dismissal after the bell time. If dismissal ends in 5 minutes, your responsibilities are done. Extreme and continuous time after 15 minutes past the established bell time, as authorized by an agreement between the Superintendent and the Association President, shall be compensated at the 1/200th rate, prorated.
Q: Did we increase the release time for IEP days?
A: Yes. The new contract doubles, and in some cases triples, IEP release time. It provides Special Education teachers, Speech/Language teachers, Social Workers, and other related service providers who have required IEP-related responsibilities with two (2) full days of release time. A third (3rd) IEP release day is provided to those bargaining unit members who have IEP responsibilities for more than twelve (12) students.
Q: Are we done with changes in the contract until the end of the 2024-25 school year?
A: No. We are continuing negotiations through the Living Contract process to resolve the remaining issues and priorities.
Q: What are some of the unresolved issues that are being addressed through the Living Contract negotiations?
A: Among others, the issues are: contract implementation specifics, additional social and emotional supports for students, class size, school safety, athletic coaches’ longevity, SOTA stipends, Home Hospital summer school, RPPP Adult Family Educators, et al.
Q: What was the contract ratification process?
A: All RTA members were notified on December 15, 2022, that a Tentative Agreement had been achieved. The following day (December 16, 2022), RTA members received the actual language of the Tentative Agreement along with a summary of the key provisions. Since all RCSD schools were closed for the original date for the planned ratification vote (December 22, 2022) and the following day, the vote occurred instead on January 3, 2023—nineteen days after notification of the tentative settlement. The RCSD Board of Education voted to ratify on the same day as RTA members. Teachers voted at each school and work location and approved the Tentative Agreement by a margin of 79.2%.
Q: What are the final statistics for the ratification of our new contract?
A: Of the 2932 RTA members eligible to participate in the ratification, 2220 (76%) exercised their right to vote and 712 (24%) did not. Of those who voted, 1759 (79.2%) voted in favor of approving the proposed contract and 461 (20.8%) voted against approval.
If you have any other questions about the contract or the ratification process please contact us here at the RTA. Adam Urbanski: urbanski@rochesterteachers.com John Pavone: pavrta@aol.com Margaret Sergent mmsergent@rochesterteachers.com Aimee Rinere: arinere@rochesterteachers.com Matt Lavonas: mlavonas@rochesterteachers.com Martha Keating: maskerade6@aol.com