Neshaminy president says union's offer still too high

The Neshaminy School District teachers' union has lowered its contract proposal, but the district still "doesn't have the money to pay those kind of increases," School Board President Richie Webb said Tuesday.

Webb said he released what he said was the union's latest offer because the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers (NFT) did not produce it in writing as was promised at last week's negotiating session.

"We wanted it in writing so we didn't misunderstand or miscommunicate it," he said.

Based on Webb's notes, and released in an e-mail, the union's offer is:

Drop 1 percent retroactive increases in the base salary for two of the last three years.

Trim the raise for this school year from 3.00 percent to 2.75 percent.

Maintain a 1 percent retroactive increase in last year's base salary.

Move the step-pay schedule, which includes years of service and educational credits, forward by four years.

Drop the maximum retirement cash payment from $27,500 to $25,000.

Moving the step schedule forward for the preceding three years, when the teachers worked under the expired contract, would cost the district $5.3 million, both sides agree. Webb said the union "is recommending that the district reimburse employees in 12 equal payments [of $147,222, or] $441,666 [quarterly], or $1,766,664 per year, for three years, 2008-09, 2009-10, and 2010-11."

"It's unacceptable to me," said Webb, who has maintained that the district cannot afford retroactive pay.

Before Webb's disclosure, NFT president Louise Boyd said the union had explained it until Webb and the district's lawyer "felt they understood." The NFT lawyer's schedule and the holiday have delayed a written version, she said in an e-mail.

Boyd could not be reached for comment after Webb's disclosure.

The sides have been negotiating since January 2008. Last week, the district started its fourth school year without a contract for the 700 teachers and staff members, in what is the longest current impasse in the state.