Branford Educators Association and Branford Board of Education have agreed on a new three year contract today (Dec. 6) which includes a teacher's salary freeze for the first year of the contract. But the biggest news is the drop – some nine percent – in total contract costs when compared to the current contract, one which irked the community after it was completed three years ago.

While a total contract figure isn't being released, Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez said the total three-year cost for the new contract, for both general wage increases and step advancements, is 5.73%.

"That's about nine percent difference over three years from the cost of the current contract we're in," said Hernandez, who came on board after the last contract was negotiated.

The contract starts on July 1, 2012 and runs through June 30, 2015. The contract has been filed with the Town Clerk as a "stipulated arbitration award" due to briefly dipping into arbitration after initial negotiations; but both parties were able to reach agreement on a full contract following the start of the arbitration process.

"Negotiations are guided by ground rules. Even though we were in the arbitration phase, both parties wanted to work together. The contract was negotiated in good faith and I think it's responsive to where we are right now," Hernandez told The Sound.

The salary freeze for all Branford teachers hits in the first year of the contract, followed by a general wage increase of one percent in the second and third years. Educators with room to advance to the next step of the salary schedule will be allowed to increase by one step in the second and third years. As part of the agreement, additional planning time for elementary school teachers has been maintained.

Teachers will see a rise in health insurance premium share contributions in the second and third years, and those who opt in on a new Health Savings Account insurance plan would create cost savings to the district. Other unions in town, including the police union, have contracts which incorporate Health Savings Account plans.

"It's optional; it's not a replacement," Hernandez said. "If you're a healthy person and you're a teacher you can potentially have dollars put into a health savings account that you never use; that money grows over time. There's a savings on utilization in the district, and there's a benefit to that employee."

In a press release issued Dec. 6, Board of Education Chair Frank Carrano and BEA President Carl Seeley also praised the willingness of both parties to work together to "…achieve an agreement which meets the needs of today's students, while being responsive to challenging economic circumstances."

"The teachers deserve a tremendous amount of credit for the way they recognized the community's economic challenges and partnered with the Board to meet these challenges," said Carrano, adding he hoped the contract heralds increased opportunities for the district to move forward with plans to provide opportunities for all students to be successful in school.