5% Raise OK'd for Teachers, Non-Reps

The Board of Education at a special meeting this Thursday approved a 5 percent salary increase for teachers and non-represented employees, retroactive to July 1 of this year.

The raise for teachers was part of a bargaining agreement approved by both the school board and the Teachers Association of Long Beach. The board’s final approval came after TALB’s membership ratified the agreement last week by a 99.2 percent vote.

The target date for retroactive checks to be issued to qualifying employees is Feb. 20. Then the 5 percent increase would be reflected on subsequent paychecks. The 5 percent increase also applies to career increments (longevity), retroactive to July 1, for TALB members and non-represented employees.

When combined with last year’s 3 percent raise, the board’s action this week brings the total salary increase to 8 percent over two years for these employees, with no monthly premium co-payment for health plans.

The agreement with TALB includes minor increases in deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket limits for the PPO health plan, but there is still no monthly premium co-payment for this plan. The same holds true for non- represented employees. The minor changes to the PPO plan will not take effect until 2016.

The TALB agreement includes a change in the health plan year from the current calendar year to match the school district’s fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). Open enrollment in benefits will shift to May, with changes effective July 1. This will affect both teachers and non-represented employees.

The newly approved TALB contract will run through June 30, 2015.

The school district plans to negotiate compensation with the local California School Employees Association chapter in the coming weeks.