School Committee Approves New Teacher Contract

By Adam Swift

The School Committee approved a memorandum of agreement with the Winthrop Teachers Association for a new, three-year contract at its meeting Monday night.

The contract, which runs through August 31 of 2025, will see teachers receive a two percent raise per year over the duration of the contract, as well as some additional market adjustments and longevity pay.

“The collective bargaining agreement expired on August 31 of 2022,” said Paul Hodnett, the attorney for the school district. “We began negotiations in January of 2022, but in earnest, really, the negotiations began in late March. We had 11 sessions between January and Sept. 21.”

The teachers ratified the agreement on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

“It provides wage increases on the basic teacher salary schedule of 2 percent each year,” said Hodnett. “In year two and year three, in addition to these 2 percent COLAs (cost of living adjustments), there is what I describe as a market adjustment of $750, but only for those teachers who are on step 8 of the salary schedule.”

There is also a longevity increase in year one for teachers who have been in the system for 30 years or more. Hodnett said that increase runs from $1,800 to $2,500.

Other teachers in the bargaining unit, at whatever step they are on, will receive a $100 increase on their step, although that increase would not apply to the teachers with 30 years or more of longevity.

The agreement also sees small increases in salary for coaches and assistant coaches, extracurricular activity leaders, and lead teachers and mentors.

In addition, the rate for teachers asked to take on extra work from the administration will see the hourly rate for that work increase from $35 to $42 in year one, $44 in year two, and $46 in year three.

The new agreement will also allow teachers to use some of their accumulated sick days for family illness days and will allow birthing parents to access eight weeks of sick leave and up to 15 personal days, if they have it available. Non-birthing parents will be able to use 15 accrued sick or personal days for paid leave.

The School Committee voted unanimously to approve the agreement, with the exception of Town Council President James Letterie, who recused himself because his wife is a teacher.

“As someone who has worked on this agreement, this is the result of many, many weeks of back and forth and very good discussion with our teachers,” said committee Chair Jennifer Powell. “I think it is both reflective of our budget constraints and also the respect we have for our teachers and our desire to support them and to encourage them to stay here and also to be able to attract other teachers.”