District, Teacher’s Union Reach Contract in Mahopac
After working without one for more than a year, Mahopac school teachers and the district have reached terms for a new contract.
The Mahopac Board of Education unanimously passed a new deal for the Mahopac Teacher’s Association (MTA) at its monthly board meeting Wednesday, putting an end to contract negotiations that at times got tense. The new deal last until June 2018, in which both sides voiced approval with the agreement.
“This will allow stability, this will allow us to feel comfortable in what we’ve done and now really progress the district forward on some of the educational issues that some of the teachers have and the district have,” MTA president Tom McMahon, who is an 8th grade ELA teacher, said. “And talk about them not in the scope of a contract looming over everybody’s head.”
There weren’t any percentage increases, but step increases were kept intact. Money was added to the top step increase over the next four years. Healthcare contribution from teachers was kept at 15 percent, after the previous contract has teachers contributing 5 percent more to their healthcare.
Additionally, there is now greater control over teacher personal days and establishing committees to have an open dialogue with district leadership and the school board.
Over the summer, McMahon said the MTA decided to publicize its grievance of not working under a contract with a “No Contract, No Respect” publicity campaign. Putting signs around Mahopac to inform residents of the current situation, McMahon said the MTA was willing to try anything to put pressure on the district, especially after negotiations for a year didn’t result in a new deal.
The previous deal expired on June 30, 2013. McMahon has been the president since July 1 of this year.
“It’s not necessarily about the money,” McMahon said. “It’s about the respect. A contract proves respect. It says I value what you do for the district.”
Board president Michael Sclafani said it’s important to point out both parties are getting something they want out of the new contract. Going forward, he believes important progress will be made within the district because a new deal was finally reached.
Sclafani said he reached out to McMahon over the summer and the two had a cup of coffee to get to know each other. That icebreaker, Sclafani remarked, became the catalyst to making progress toward a new contract.
“One of the things we said together is let’s make some history and that’s what we planned to do,” he said. “We plan to show other districts that the community can work together.”
With the contract lasting until 2018, Sclafani said from a district standpoint, it provides “total stability” and from a teacher’s standpoint, it lets them know what to expect.
“It’s a win-win for all of us,” Sclafani said. “And I think that was our big goal.”
