NR teachers set to receive 2 percent pay raise

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New Richmond teachers will see their paychecks increase by $880 after a final offer was approved by the New Richmond Board of Education on Dec. 17.

The teachers originally asked for a $1,100 base wage increase; however, an agreement could not be reached.

“The board had initially offered $775. Through negotiations we adjusted our offer, but they never moved from their $1,100,” said Morrie Veilleux, district administrator.

The parties agreed that they had reached an impasse and the teacher’s union decided to waive mediation, allowing the board to approve and implement its final offer.

Through the newly established Act 10, teachers are now only able to negotiate base wage increases and how those increases are distributed. If an agreement cannot be reached, a non-biased mediator can be hired; however, decisions reached by the mediator are not binding and the school board has the final say in the matter, Veilleux said.

“Bottom line is that’s the money we had available,” he said. “And the board directed the negotiating committee to not go over $880.”

Because it’s a base wage increase, that means all teachers, whether they’ve been with the district for less than a year or 17 years, will see an $880 raise.

The increase represents a 2 percent raise in terms of base wage, Veilleux said.

“It’s the same increase we gave our other non-union employees earlier in the year,” he said.

Tags: new richmond schools, new richmond, news, education