Longmeadow Teachers Agree to 0% COLA

The Longmeadow School Committee and the Longmeadow Education Association have reached a two-year collective bargaining agreement that provides for a 0% COLA for FY2010 and FY2011. Below is the official press release....

"The Longmeadow School Committee and the Longmeadow Education Association are very pleased to announce that they have reached a two-year collective bargaining agreement with the Association’s approximately 285 teachers, counselors, and specialists. During the negotiations that resulted in this agreement, the Committee and the Association recognized the extraordinary financial challenges facing the District. Although we are in difficult financial times, we all kept our “eyes on the child” and reached an agreement that does not further stress our financial resources. The agreement, which the LEA ratified last week and the School Committee approved this evening, provides for zero percent cost of living adjustments (COLAs) in FY 2010 and 2011, permits a temporary reduction in professional development days over the two-year period, and goes through August 31, 2011. The Committee and the Association are pleased that we have reached an agreement especially at this critical budget time."

Now that this contract has been settled... will the other town employee collective bargaining units without contracts for FY2010 and FY2011 do the same and accept a 0% COLA?

As summarized in a recent post (Tough Times Ahead for Longmeadow- Part IV, 1/10/10) achieving a balanced FY2011 budget will be very difficult with a current projected budget deficit of over $2 million. This agreement to a 0% COLA for FY2010 and FY2011 provides significant financial relief to the town of Longmeadow and allows our town leaders to create a balanced FY2011 budget without the uncertainty of a teachers union collective bargaining agreement.

A large thank you to Longmeadow teachers!