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Salary demands stated to be excessive The Fact inder's report by J.W.* Singleton as to negotia- tions between the Northum- berland and Newcastle Board of Education and the North- umberland and Newcastle Branch Affiliates of the Federation of Women's Tea- chers' Associations- of Ontario and the Ontario Publie School Men Teachers' Federation bas been made public. In the report-J.W. Singleton outlines nine areas that he describes as major outstand- ing issues between the two groups. He reports that the salary, package, in total, being asked, by the public school teachers is far in excess of a responsible req- uest. The teachers accordîng to the report are asking a total of some 18 percent increase in salary plus the annual increment which brings the total increase to over 20 percent.. The board has offered a flat $400.00 increase for all tea- chers plus an increment increase of 2.2 percent. The increase beîng offered by the board amounts to a total of a 4.45 percent increase. It was pointed out by the fact finder that the increase across the province is in the range of 5 to 6.5 percent including the increment increase. The teachers on the other hand are asking a percentage increase across the, grid which gîves the larger dollar- increase at the top of the grid. The teachers are asking for 10 percent across the grid which with the 2.2 percent increment equals, a gross increase of 12.2 percent. In addition, the request includes a full C.O.L.A. clause which is closely and conservatîvely as can be estimated now will increase salaries by a rate of« about 8 percent (or more) by next June. The actual dollars paid out will be about hall of that (or about 4 percent) because the increases will be at 1 percent for last Septem- ber, 2 percent in October, etc. This brings the total req- uest of the teachers on the grid to about 18 percent or just over 20 percent including the increment. "Such increas- es cannot be sustained", states the report. C.O.L.A. clauses are not desirable devices in a one- year contract when changes in C.P.I. can be closely estimated. In multi-year con- tracts a C.O.L.A. clause can be defended as a protection against wild swings but it ought to be considered as a substitute for negotiations leaving only minor product- ivity gains to be negotiated. In this case the teachers are requesting a C.O.L.A. clause as a base and a 10 percent increase on top. They seemn to be asking for the best of both worlds, states the report. The report states that the ý.chers are asking for a very \ex pensive change for prin- cipals and vice-principals. The report does state that part-time teachers are cut off from fringe benefits and that the board should re- consider this fact and allow benefits where possible to percentage of time worked and then allow the teacher themselves to contribute at their expenses to the full cost of the benefit. The fact finder also points ou t that the part-time teacher's salary is capped and that for a few this is not fair and should be reconsidered by the board of Education. The report also states that theteachers' request to drop the pupil-eacher ratio to 22 to 1 would create a cost exceed- ingly high. S14r oil ~piriIua tltui ofxx tl)t (94liritnlii g rasau l lit i pl;u aub tînur. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce 1Book now for NEW YEARS EVE PARTY and CHRISTMAS DAY DINNER Forum Restaurant -AND TAVERN Newcastle 987-4226 ................ . . .... ..... .