Two Contracts Reached in Hen Hud Union Negotiations

This story has been updated.

MONTROSE, N.Y. – For the second Hendrick Hudson Board of Education meeting in a row, dozens of education union members, marked by their blue “HHEA” T-shirts, gathered to support nearly three dozen fellow Hendrick Hudson Education Association members who are slated to be cut in the proposed 2012-13 Hen Hud budget.

Amidst the sea of education union members, Hen Hud Superintendent, Daniel McCann announced in introductory comments that the district came to an agreement with the Teaching Assistant and Monitors Association (TAMA) and custodians and chauffeurs union, the Civil Servant Employee Association (CSEA). The board of education unanimously approved the contracts.

“We did what we had to do to help the district through a difficult financial time,” said Dave Travis, CSEA president.

“These are not ideal agreements, but these are not ideal times,” said McCann, adding, “I’m hopeful that HHEA will follow suit,” he added.

Serious concessions were made by both unions. TAMA will take no salary increases for the three years of their contract, and they will freeze step increases for the second year of their contract. Their health insurance contribution rate will remain the same for the duration of their contract.

The CSEA agreed to a four year contract, with a no salary increases for the first two years, and a 1.9 percent increase for the third and fourth year. Members will also forego step increases for two years and employee health insurance contributions will increase from 11.5 percent to 13.5 percent at the end of the contract in 2016.

“If we resolve the HHEA agreement with a zero increases, and we restore some money or gain some additional funds through special education, we have the opportunity to restore not only level two reductions, but have the interesting dilemma of potentially restoring some level one reductions,” said McCann. “You’re concerned about a lot of reductions, so am I, so are we,” he said to the audience.

At the district’s March 14 meeting, layoffs were proposed in two separate levels. The second level represented what could be saved if teachers take a “zero increase,” according to district officials, representing about $885,000 in savings. The first level would almost certainly be laid off, even if teachers took no salary increases, representing about $2.2 million in positions.

Several cost saving measures have been suggested to the board, largely through audience comments. Cutting modified sports, the public relations department and eliminating teacher chaperones during lunch periods were a few. The superintendent recommended staunchly against cutting modified sports, saying town teams that played the same sports were not always comparable and having students take sports afterschool added continuity to students’ days.

Some of the level one cuts include 11 teachers, 12 teacher aides and three custodians. Level two cuts include six teachers and the assistant principal of Hendrick Hudson High School. If an agreement with HHEA is not reached, the teachers’ current contract could continue until the two parties come to an agreement, part of the Triborough Amendment.

This article has been updated.

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