Teachers accept compromise
Marion-Florence USD 408 teachers and the board of education reached a compromise late Tuesday afternoon on the agreement for the 2003-2004 school year.
Teachers accepted the board's offer of a $300 increase in the base salary. The board and its negotiating team offered teachers a choice of that, the $300 added to the base; or $200 added to the base now and another $200 as a one-time payment, not to be added to the base, at the end of the next school year, next May.
The latter option was to be good only if the State of Kansas did not cut state aid to schools in any way during the next school year.
Teachers had asked for a $600 increase in the base salary. They came down to $400, and the board team stuck at $200, five days earlier, in another negotiating meeting.
A majority of USD 408's certified staff approved the $300 offer shortly before 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The base increase means a minimum pay hike of $300. Those with salary "steps" will receive more.
The board and teachers also agreed to a bit of language clarification in the negotiating agreement: It will now state that personal leave shall not be granted on the first and last student contact days of the school year.
Previously, the provision was that personal leave would not be allowed on the first or last days of the school year.
