November 22, 2024 — We Have a Contract!

After 10 months of bargaining, we have overwhelmingly ratified our second contract with a 95% YES vote! Thank you all for your support during these negotiations. The contract is available here, and we are currently working on a Spanish translation. Here are some elements of our new contract:

Wages

• Increases of 4% for the first three years of the contract

• Increase of 4.5% for the last two years of the contract

• Transparent new minimum salaries for all roles in the unit that increase by 1.5% each year of the contract

• 8% average increase in Year 1

• $23 minimum hourly wage

• Clear stipends for department chairs and additional teaching loads

Each colleague will receive either the new minimum or the general increase, whichever is greater. These raises are retroactive to summer.

Benefits

• Increased healthcare stipends for 2-person and family plans

• BFS contributions to HSA accounts

• Increased course reimbursement benefits

• Codified retirement and health insurance carryover benefits

• For colleagues who are BFS parents:

  • 30% discount on Afterschool

  • Waivers for application fee and tuition deposits

  • Free childcare on conference and PD days

General Agreements

• The School and Union will share the cost of translating the CBA into Spanish

• Streamlined grievance and arbitration process

• Expedited grievance procedure for certain issues

• Attendance-related discipline sunsets from record after 2 years

• Board, robust anti-discrimination language and a clear process to pursue issues

• Improved Union access to job information and another Union bulletin board on campus

Time Off

• Shortened Opening Days timeline

• Increased bereavement leave

• 1 floating holiday per school year for a religious or cultural observance

• Ability to use sick leave in 2-hour increments

• Transparent calculation of unpaid absence

• Banked sick leave can be used to extend NYSPFL

• Colleagues can extend NYSPFL up to a month with unpaid leave

• 5 separate sick days for quarantine requirements

Scheduling

• Hourly Colleagues:

  • Increased paid breaks

  • Double pay if required to come in during emergency closing

  • Up to 3 days’ pay for lost hours during an emergency closing

• Learning Community Colleagues:

  • Clarified typical versus additional teaching load

  • School cannot require attendance at non-enrollment weekend or holiday events

  • Minimum prep/break time for teaching colleagues

  • Cap of 1 overnight trip per year

  • Stipends for chaperones on overnight trips

  • Attendance only required at 1 enrollment event per year