Batavia teachers union, school board reach new contract agreement

The Batavia Education Association, the school district’s teachers union and the Batavia Public School District 101 board have reached a four-year collective bargaining agreement.

The agreement was announced at a special board meeting Wednesday night.

According to a news release from the district, the contract is in effect until June 30, 2027.

This agreement provides a 5% aggregate salary increase in the first two years and a 2% aggregate increase in the last two years. This contract allows for an average annual base salary increase of about 6.7% for individual educators, ensuring a commitment to them while remaining mindful of taxpayer interests, according to the release.

“This agreement is a significant achievement. It highlights our mutual commitment to putting students at the center of our mission and ensuring fiscal responsibility,” Tony Inglese, chief negotiator for the school board, said in the release.

Key features of the agreement include:

• A restructured educator pay system that attracts and retains talented educators, rewards experience and promotes professional development
• Competitive starting salaries to attract the best educators
• Board-paid matching contributions to 403(b) and 457(b) retirement plans
• A new joint committee to coordinate the work of various teams, driving cohesion across the district for improvement efforts

“This contract represents a shared vision of elevating educational standards, encouraging professional development and reinforcing community strength, all while living within our means. We want Batavia to be the district where our educators not only begin, but complete their careers here,” Todd Swanson, union president, said in the release.