Utica Community Schools Finalizes Contract With Teachers

Utica Community Schools voted Monday to approve a new union contract for teachers. The school board, in a unanimous vote, confirmed the contract at Monday’s board meeting. The school district says the contract will save the district $9.4 million over its two-year term, in large part because of wage cuts agreed to by teachers.

The Utica Education Association, which represents teachers in the district, says the union conceded over $4.3 million in wage cuts, and agreed to as many as five furlough days in the next year and a half, in addition to new limits on some benefits. In a statement, Utica Education Association President Liza Parkinson said the district needs to come up with better ways of managing its finances.

“Reducing teacher salaries is a short-term fix, but Utica teachers did what was necessary for the good of the school district. Now the district must begin the process of making major changes that will provide a long-term solution to these budget difficulties,” Parkinson said.

District officials said state lawmakers must act to improve Michigan's school funding system. In a statement Tuesday, School Board President Gene Kilda wants the state to help address the district’s financial problems.

“Through the work of the negotiating teams, we have addressed one side of the equation — the expenditure side,” Kilda said. "It is now time for the State of Michigan to address the second side of the equation — revenues.”

Image via Utica Community Schools.