Tinley Park District 146 tentative teacher contract includes 6% salary increase over 5 years
The contract for Tinley Park Elementary District 146 teachers, up for approval at Tuesday’s board meeting, includes 6% raises over the next five years.
The union spokesperson said highlights of the interim agreement include an additional two days off for all staff, a 3% increase in all salaries, “updated safety language to protect staff,” updated property and damage language and a $2,000 stipend for staff who do not opt for district insurance.
The union also successfully eliminated the requirement that veteran teachers, known as Tier 1 in the Illinois Teachers Retirement System, retire as soon as they become eligible.
“When we began this bargaining process, we knew that in order to best serve students in District 146, teacher recruitment and retention had to be a primary focus,” the District 146 Council of Educators said in a news release. “This agreement is a strong step toward that goal. By removing the cap on when educators must retire and bringing compensation closer to neighboring district standards, our district can better compete for teachers looking for work and ensure that the teachers who work here want to stay in our community and develop their careers.”
The 146th District Council of Educators said 72% of union members voted in favor of the contract and the agreement will be put to a vote by the school board at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the district office, 6611 W. 171st St., Tinley Park.
Agreement comes after union vote power to strike If no agreement was reached, 230 of 232 members were in favor of authorization.
While most contract terms were agreed upon before the strike authorization vote, the teachers union said it is fighting for higher wage increases and more pension benefits than the district is offering. Negotiations began in February, and the union declared an impasse when the board “began bargaining and stalling in a regressive manner over the summer.”
The latest contract expired on July 31. Full details of the tentative agreement approved by the teachers’ union have not been disclosed, but both parties have made their latest offers public.
The district’s proposal would increase tuition increases by up to 6% for each of the next three school years, while its previous proposal included wage increases of 6% for each of the next two school years and 5% for the 2027-2028 school year. The district also said it is making its existing retirement incentive a benefit with a 10-year eligibility window.
The teachers union says it will remain committed to advocating for 7% pay increases each year for the next three school years; They said this was important to fight inflation and combat the challenges teachers face during the COVID-19 pandemic and to attract good teachers amid a nationwide shortage.
The district said it was reluctant to meet the union’s 7% recommendation because wage increases exceeding 6% subject the district to financial penalties through the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System.
Under the district’s proposed salary increase, teachers’ starting salaries would be $52,570. Teachers with a master’s degree would start at $56,300. In the contract for the 2024-2025 academic year, teachers with a bachelor’s degree started at $50,586, while teachers with a master’s degree started at $54,175.
“We are proud of our members who stood strong and united to make this happen, and we are grateful to our students and their families who joined us in calling for real solutions that will ensure a safe, stable future for District 146,” said the 146th District Council of Educators. “We are grateful to have reached this agreement and look forward to continuing to collaborate with the Board of Education and administration to provide our students with the high-quality education they deserve.”
District 146 Superintendent Jeff Stawick declined to comment on contract details Thursday.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com
