By Dave Bullard
Oswego, NY – School districts are looking for any savings they can find, in a year in which the state is cutting school aid by $1 billion.
Many districts are asking their unions for contract concessions such as smaller raises, no raises and benefit cuts.
In recent weeks, teacher unions in West Genesee and Cicero-North Syracuse agreed to take smaller raises next year, while in Hannibal, the teachers union there rejected a call for a pay freeze.
Carl Korn of the union, New York State United Teachers, said there's a general test unions can apply when they're asked for givebacks.
"Is this fair to my members? And at the same time, is it also something that the community can support? And is it something that is going to invest resources in the classroom to help children? And that is a different discussion than if its all about scapegoating teachers and pointing fingers," said Korn.
Larry Cummings of the Central New York School Boards Association said the number of contracts being renegotiated appears to be much higher than normal.
"It certainly suggests that there is a much greater recognition on the part of district employees, but people aren't just making this up that we're faced with some pretty extreme financial circumstances," said Cummings.
The two men agree that concessions appear more likely to happen in districts where relations between the union and administration have been open, and good.