Health insurance seen as dominant teacher issue in Laconia

By GEOFF CUNNINGHAM Jr.

Staff Writer





LACONIA — Representatives for the school district's teachers union say health insurance will be among the dominant issues facing those going into contract negotiations later this month.



Those leading the charge towards a new agreement for the Laconia Education Association said Wednesday that they are concerned that the City Council will not approve changes unless they align with other municipal employee contracts approved earlier this month.



"Don't ask us to be equal when we don't have the same plan," said association Chief Negotiator Bob Gunther.



Members of the teacher's union and school district negotiating teams are tentatively scheduled to sit down for the first time on Sept. 19.



The association is currently at the end of a three-year contract that will expire on June 30.



The union represents more than 200 teachers, nurses and guidance councilors or approximately 70 percent of the district's faculty.



Gunther will join association President Deb Tivey, Dick Coggon, Gus Garside and Sandy Jackson in representing the union in negotiations. The School Board has appointed members Marge Kerns, Chris Guilmett and Chuck Tucker to represent the district.



While the group has yet to sit down for formal discussions it appears that health insurance will again be among the most challenging obstacles for the two parties to agree on.



Gunther anticipates that the City Council will be pushing for increases in the amounts teachers pay toward their health insurance — a trend that has been seen in the city's negotiations with the police, fire and municipal workers unions.



However, he said such a proposal will not be well received as the school district has a completely different health insurance plan.



Gunther said the district recently saved upwards of $1 million by securing a health insurance plan that costs the district thousands less per family each year than those held by other municipal employees.



The current policy has the union members paying 3 percent of their health insurance premium. The union representative said he anticipates that the city will look to have teachers pay more for insurance.



"I'm a little weary of some of the comments coming from the City Council," said Gunther.



Dental insurance might also be a bone of contention as it was during negotiations in 2003. Gunther said Laconia teachers are currently the only group in the Lakes Region that don't have dental insurance.



As for pay, Gunther said Laconia teachers currently have a starting salary that is comparable to other districts in the area. However, he said that the union does take issue with the fact that the top of the pay scale is lower than other comparable districts.



While Business Administrator Ed Emond said district officials rarely comment on union issues during the negotiation process, teaching representatives anticipate a tough go of it during a time when the district is focusing its budgetary efforts on facilities improvements.



"I think it will be a trying time and that is why we are starting early," said Gunther.



On the first day of school, the union handed out a survey asking members about what they would like to see accomplished during the upcoming negotiations.



Gunther said those questionnaires are due back this Friday and the union negotiating teams will meet on Sept. 12 to outline the responses and craft a plan.



"We are going to go in with a positive outlook," said Gunther.