Tri-Township District officials and union representatives were all smiles after the school board recently ratified and adopted a collective bargaining agreement resulting in a minimum base salary increase of $5,000 for teachers retroactively.
The bump in pay is one of the largest in the school corporation’s history. Meanwhile, sentiments are being shared on how smoothly the negotiations ran.
"As a long-time member of the school board, it is always an honor to be a part of the negotiation process, which was incredibly seamless,” said Tri-Township School Board President Tim Goose said, “The collective bargaining discussion presented an incredible opportunity for us to show how much we value the team here at Tri-Township Schools while rewarding them for their unwavering efforts to educate our scholars."
In addition, terms of the agreement include membership in the Porter Trust which offers affordable health, vision and dental coverage along with other attractive benefits.
“This is a huge win for teachers,” said Tori Demoss, President of the Tri-Township Classroom Teachers Association. “We appreciate the cooperation from the school board and administration as they actively listened to our requests then took action to arrive at this amazing outcome.”
Newly appointed Superintendent Dr. Paige McNulty counts the passage of the agreement as a great way to kick off her tenure at the helm of the district.
“It was great to see the parties come to the table respectfully and arrive at decisions that were amenable to both sides,” said McNulty. “It is important for our employees to know that they are valued, and this contract is a significant way of showing our appreciation for the great work they do on behalf of children.”
For more information about Tri-Township Schools, visit www.tritownship.k12.in.us or call 219-733.2815.
