Sept. 28, 2007 — A new four-year agreement has been reached between the V.I. government and a union representing school administrators.
The Educational Administrators Association (EAA) represents coordinators, subject-area supervisors, assistant principals and principals in the public education system and the V.I. Department of Education. The talks ended successfully Aug. 25, said Chief Labor Negotiator Jessica Gallivan.
“The EAA, which represents about 130 members, last negotiated a contract that had a term from Oct. 1, 1997 to Sept. 30, 2004," she said, according to a Government House news release. "Some of the EAA members had not had a salary adjustment since 2001, and none since Oct. 1, 2003.”
During negotiations, the EAA waived the right to bargain for any salary increases for the period Oct. 1, 2004 to Sept. 30, 2006. In exchange, the government agreed to a fiscal year 2007 pay plan that sees coordinators and subject area supervisors’ salaries range from $59,000 to $89,216, assistant principals’ salaries range from $61,000 to $90,173, and principals’ salaries range from $63,500 to $93,868, all depending on years of experience.
Gov. John deJongh Jr. expressed satisfaction with the new contract.
“These are the persons at the head of our public schools that determine the direction of specific program and subject-area initiatives," he said. "They play a pivotal role in the overall direction of each of our schools, and I am pleased at the end results of the negotiations.”
The governor thanked Gallivan and her staff, Acting Education Commissioner Lynn Spampinato and EAA district presidents Rosa White and Carver Farrow for their roles in the negotiations.
Language agreements in the new contract seek to bring efficiency and accountability to the administration of the schools, Gallivan said: “Annual increases are subject to a satisfactory or better performance rating and provided that the employees meet all qualifications specified by the V.I. Board of Education.”
The tentative agreement was signed Aug. 25 by the chief negotiator and the EAA representatives. The EAA notified the government of its ratification action within a one-week period, and deJongh signed the contract Sept. 4.
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