In what statewide union leaders hope is a sign of things to come, the 728-member East Meadow Teachers Association has settled on a six-year contract for its teachers and School-Related Professionals.

The EMTA was one of 140 NYSUT locals working under the terms of long-expired contracts.

The new agreement, which members approved the first week of school, includes annual raises of 3.5 percent and some increases applied retroactively.

While the school year went off without a hitch in districts across the state, a total of 438 NYSUT locals representing about 75,000 educators returned to schools this month without a new contract.

NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi noted nearly 300 of the open contracts expired this past June and local leaders are already reporting progress at the table.

The state Public Employment Relations Board, meanwhile, reports that local unions in only 54 school districts are at impasse — 11.5 percent lower than last year.

Major issues at the table include salary, health insurance and how time in the school day is used to improve student achievement.

"In all cases, workers are looking for fair agreements that reflect the challenges and demands of their profession and the great job they do every day on behalf of the state's students," Iannuzzi said.

Longtime battles

As the Buffalo Teachers Federation enters its fourth year without a new contract, the two sides have not met in about six months, said Philip Rumore, BTF president. PERB has appointed a mediator.

Key issues are how much of a pay increase teachers should get now that a wage freeze imposed by a state control board has been lifted, and the school system's attempt to switch to a single-carrier health insurance system.

"We have some formidable obstacles to deal with, but it takes two sides to negotiate a contract, and so far, we haven't had an equal commitment from the other side," Rumore said.

In one of the state's longest-running contract disputes, members of the Lawrence Facilities Management Association, led by Joe Petrauskas, are going on six years without a new contract. Negotiations have reached superconciliation, the final stage of the impasse procedure.

"We are in the exact same spot we were five years ago," said Petrauskas. Two other Lawrence units are also without a contract.

Entering their second year without a new contract, the 149 members of the Southwestern TA in Chautauqua County are trying new efforts to educate the public to their plight.

Something different

The local, led by co-presidents Mary Jane Price and Sandy Munsee, now attends local labor council meetings in addition to conducting informational picketing.

"It's an opportunity and a good alliance for us," Munsee said. "It's always good to make friends."

In the region that includes parts of Delaware, Chenango, Madison and Otsego counties, the DCMO BOCES TA, headed by Kay White, has declared a bargaining crisis in efforts to replace a contract that expired in 2005.

Salaries and health insurance for active and retired members are among the issues in the long stalemate. BOCES officials declared an impasse more than a year ago.

NYSUT's two largest higher education locals, representing members at the state and city university systems, are also facing negotiations.

United University Professions, representing 33,000 academic and professional faculty at SUNY, has been in contract talks with the state since spring to replace a contract that expired July 1.

"We started out dealing with a new administration and some of the inevitable unknowns with that situation," said UUP's statewide vice president and chief negotiator, Fred Floss, "but we've been pleased with the progress so far."

UUP is headed by William Scheuerman.

The Professional Staff Congress, NYSUT's affiliate at CUNY, is preparing to negotiate its contract. The current agreement expired Sept. 19.

As New York Teacher went to press, several locals were close to settlements, including Wappingers Congress of Teachers, led by Pascuale Delli Carpini, and the teacher unit of the Syracuse TA, led by Kate McKenna.

Bright spots

Nearly 500 educators in the Carthage district — recently declared a Contract for Excellence School — agreed to extend the school year and even out the school day for grades K-12.

The contract includes two planning periods. Carthage TA is led by Pat Sheehan; Paul Smith leads the SRP local.

The Jefferson Community College Educational Support Professionals Association, led by Courtney Bauer, has ratified a four-year agreement with the county that includes annual 3.5 percent increases.

— Clarisse Butler Banks and New York Teacher staff