Schools contract could cost extra $10.

9M // According to agreement, Minneapolis teachers would give up raises, sabbaticals, other benefits but keep health care, pay "steps." COREY MITCHELL; STAFF WRITER Publication Date: January 15, 2011 Page: 03B Section: NEWS Edition: METRO The tentative two-year contract with the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers would cost the Minneapolis School District an additional $10.9 million, the district estimates. The 18 months of negotiations it took to get an agreement proved costly for district and union leaders, financially and politically, but they hope improved relations will reduce costs and bad feelings. "This was a difficult and time-consuming process that will help advance our academic goals," Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson wrote in a prepared statement. "We will continue working closely with teachers." During his time as school board chair, Tom Madden took an approach to negotiating that could be summed up in three words: No money, honey. Now that Madden and former colleague Chris Stewart, who often had harsh words for the union, have left the board, their hard-line approach to dealing with the union may have departed, too. The contract, which covers the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years, will dent the district's budget, but the agreement represents compromise, not concession, said Madden's replacement, new school board president Jill Davis. "Each side got some of what they wanted and what they needed," Davis said. "We're really looking forward to working collaboratively. We know that teachers are the essence of our employee base." While the teachers relinquished raises, the union retained automatic pay increases, known as "steps and lanes," that come with additional college credits and years of service. An arbitrator's ruling in October made the payments and other expenses retroactive to July 2009. The district also will continue to pay employees' health insurance premiums, and there will be no increase in the cost of family coverage. The teachers agreed to a moratorium on sabbaticals and monetary awards for perfect attendance. They also agreed to cut a program called Sick Leave for Fitness, which let them cash in unused sick days to pay for health club memberships, fitness classes, personal trainers and home exercise equipment. If the contract is approved, those provisions will save the district millions. "I commend teachers for financially contributing to the health and wellness of the district," union president Lynn Nordgren wrote in a prepared statement. "We worked collaboratively through

this process, and I feel that we've landed in a good place." Union members have until Jan. 21 to vote and return their ballots. School board members could render a decision on the agreement during their Jan. 25 meeting. The agreement, announced in December, came weeks after four newly elected school board members waiting to take office sent letters to the board on Minneapolis Federation of Teachers letterhead, urging a quick resolution. "Did that help? I'm not sure that it did," said Richard Mammen, one of the members who signed the letter. The incident raised questions about the union's influence and whether the new board members understood their roles as elected officials. Now that they have been sworn in, their more experienced colleagues hope to leave the controversy in the past. "We can't let that kind of distraction get in the way of us doing real work," said board member Lydia Lee. The contract, if approved, will expire this summer. Bargaining for the next contract is expected to begin soon. Corey Mitchell - 612-673-4491