News Local/State

New Teachers Contract Ratified By Champaign School Board

 

The Champaign Unit 4 School Board has ratified a new contract with its teachers’ union.

School Board members voted unanimously to approve the two-year contract at a special meeting Thursday evening. The board’s approval came one day after the contract won overwhelming approval from members of the Champaign Federation of Teachers.

The contract includes annual salary increases of 2.25% for teachers considered “on-schedule” and 4% annual increases for off-schedule teachers.

Unit 4 School Board President Chris Kloeppel hailed the new contract.

“We value our educators tremendously and are pleased to have a fair contract in place,” said Kloeppel in a news release from the district.

Contract negotiations began five months ago, and continued past the expiration of the old contract on June 30th. At one point, a federal mediator was brought in to help expedite negotiations. And Champaign Federation of Teachers members voted in early September to authorize a strike, if talks broke down.

A separate contract with Unit 4 support staff was also ratified by both sides in September.