Teacher pay deal struck

Clark County teachers and district administrators today announced the details of a settlement they negotiated on pay increases for teachers.

The announcement came more than a year after salary negotiations began. It was the most protracted talks ever between the two sides.

Teachers will receive a 4.25 percent increase for the 1997-98 school year, to be paid retroactively in the coming weeks. In addition, teachers will receive a 0.75 percent increase for insurance benefits, which would automatically renew each year without negotiations.

Teachers during the coming school year, 1998-99, will receive a 3 percent pay increase, of which 1 percent will be paid in a lump sum after the start of the school year. Teachers will also receive a 0.25 percent bonus, which approximates the amount of interest lost during the year-long negotiations.

The total agreement will cost the school district between $22 million and $23 million for each of the two years. The district has about 11,000 full-time teachers.

Both sides said the terms are a fair settlement that was the result of months of painful negotiations that turned after an arbitrator was brought in two weeks ago.

"I think it is a fair compromise," said district negotiator Edward Goldman. "It was within the range that we could live with."

Clark County Classroom Teachers Association negotiator John Jasonek said, "While you'd always like to get a little bit more...we certainly were able to accomplish what we set out to accomplish."

Negotiations on the entire contract are not yet complete. Jasonek said several technical details had to be worked out. Oakland-based arbitrator Franklin Silver still has to approve the agreement, which is likely to happen within the next week.

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