Tuesday evening, the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers unveiled a new contract proposal to the public and members of the press.

Though the Neshaminy School Board members didn't get the contract proposal until this morning from the board's solicitor, they have been able to review changes made by the NFT in this proposal.

Board member William O'Connor said Wednesday that he is gratified that "for the first time in three years" the NFT has agreed to contribute toward health care.

School board President Ritchie Webb said that the NFT contract proposal agrees to pay a flat rate toward health care. NFT President Louis Boyd said Tuesday that the contribution is estimated at about 8 percent toward the current health care plan, but with a flat rate contribution Webb said that if the cost of the plan goes up the teachers will still be paying the same rate.

In addition, O'Connor said he is still concerned about retroactive pay.

"It just isn’t going to be nearly enough for the district to recognize any savings," he said. According to Webb, he estimated that retroactive pay alone will cost the district $11 million. Currently, the district has a deficit in its 2011-2012 proposed budget of about $3 million.

Neshaminy is the only district around that pays full health care benefits to retirees after 10 years of service for themselves, their spouses and dependents, Webb said.

"We can no longer afford to do that," he said of the retirement health care benefits.

The new contract proposal is recommending full health care benefits to retirees after 15 years of service and is no longer extending those benefits to dependents. Webb noted that majority of retirees do not have dependents.

The NFT's new proposal, according to Webb, still includes a $27,500 retirement incentive.

"I’m not anti-teacher...but it all comes down to what can the community can pay for," Webb said. He also noted that the average household income in the Neshaminy School District is in the range of $63,000- $64,000 while the average teacher salary in the district is about $82,000.

Though Webb said he does not yet have all of the information he would like to have about the contract proposal, he noted that there are clauses in it that call for cost of living increases and does not include changes to work day hours or number of work days.

"The teachers have given us a place to start discussions, but a lot more will have to be done here," O'Connor said. 

"It needs a lot of analysis, but I view it as a starting point. There’s much in here that we just quite can’t afford," Webb said.

Boyd said Tuesday that the NFT would like to have a contract by the end of the school year. O'Connor said he thinks that is "highly unlikely" because the board has already committed to having a resident advisory panel, meeting with the union on June 13 and there are "a great many issues that going to have to be worked on."

"I think it would be difficult, but I’m certainly willing to work toward that goal," Webb said of the NFT having a contract by the end of the school year.

With the resident advisory panel's first meeting on Monday, June 6, Webb said that it is "highly unlikely" that the board would have an offer by June 13.

The NFT's new contract proposal has been posted on the Neshaminy Contract Negotiation blog, which is maintained by O'Connor.