The union membership in East Pennsboro Area SD (Cumberland County) rejected a fact finder’s report, according to a story in the Carlisle Sentinel. The board accepted the report by a 7-0 vote (two members absent). As usual the text of the fact finder’s report is enlightening. Reports like this are one of the few places where the public can learn what school contract negotiations are actually about.

The union wanted a five-year contract while the board, citing economic uncertainties, proposed three. The fact finder agreed with the board.

The big dollar differences between the proposals of the board and the union involve salary. The district was offering pay increases averaging 2%. The union was demanding 4.5% per year. On this issue the fact finder roughly split the difference, leaning slightly toward the union position. He recommended average increases ranging from 3.8% to 4% — which doesn’t sound too shabby during a recession. (He tilted toward the board on several other issues.)

The union chutzpah on graduate credits was almost breath-taking. East Pennsboro teachers now get pay raises for earning 45 graduate credits (without a masters), for a master degree, and for M+45. This is called “lateral” movement on a salary scale, as distinct from “vertical” movement based on seniority. The union asked for the addition of seven new pay increases for earning graduate credits. Under the union proposal teachers would get salary boosts after earning 12, 24 and 30 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree; 15, 45 and 75 credits after the master’s degree, and after earning a Ph.D. The fact finder recommended adding only one new increment — M+75.