Rockton Board of Education approves agreement with teachers’ union

Online Staff Report

ROCKTON, Ill. — At its Wednesday, Oct. 17, meeting, the Rockton Board of Education approved a negotiated agreement between the Rockton Teachers’ Association and the Rockton Board of Education.

Negotiations began in February and continued throughout the summer, with a tentative agreement reached Oct. 9. The teachers ratified the agreement Monday, Oct. 15, prior to the board’s vote.

According to a press release from Brenda Warren, president and chief negotiator for the Board of Education, and Gail Johnson, chief negotiator for the Rockton Teachers’ Association: “Given the current economic conditions, the negotiation process was challenging for both sides. Throughout negotiations, agreements were reached and concessions were made that resulted in a fair contract. Issues of primary concern were health care, salaries and benefits.

“Over the period of the two-year agreement, the increase in salaries and benefits will be partially offset by savings from insurance concessions,” the release added. “Teachers will be taking a hard freeze in salary the first semester, a 1 percent increase to the base salary for the next year and will finish with a soft freeze for the remainder of the contract.”

The Rockton School District is a 50-square-mile district encompassing the Village of Rockton and surrounding rural areas. The district’s three schools house approximately 1,600 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grades.

Posted Oct. 18, 2012