Teachers in Denver’s union are voting on whether to accept a renegotiated contract with the district that would pay them 1.65 percent less this year, saving DPS about $5 million.
If approved by the Denver Classroom Teachers Association’s 3,000 teachers, educators would still get a 2.5 percent permanent cost-of-living pay increase this year.
Teachers began voting on the tentative agreement Tuesday, and ballots are expected to be returned by Friday.
The district and union released a joint press release today outlining the terms and reasons for reopening the three-year contract that was inked last year.
The original agreement gave teachers a cost-of-living raise that was the rate of inflation in the metro area plus 0.25 percent. This year, that amounted to a 4.15 percent cost-of-living hike.
Since that agreement, “the economic situation has drastically declined,” according to the joint press release.
The state has forced districts to hold back 1.93 percent of state funding in a reserve until January, when the legislature will decide what to do with it.
For Denver, that would amount to $10.5 million less for the district if the legislature rescinds the money.
Districts also are expecting further cuts the following year because of the dire economic forecasts, the release said.
The tentative agreement being voted on also would give back 1.65 percent to teachers if the state does not rescind the funds. And the 1.65 percent additional increase will become permanent if there are no reductions in state funding for DPS in 2010-2011.
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
