Chelsea School Committee approves three-unit contracts with pay increases, expanded leave and pilot class-size policy

The Chelsea School Committee on Dec. 1 voted to approve three collective bargaining agreements with the Chelsea Teachers Union covering clerical, paraprofessional and teacher units for the period July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027. The committee’s roll call showed seven members voting in the affirmative; three members were absent for the votes.

The agreements provide a 13% total wage increase across each unit over the contract term: 3% in the first year, 5% in the second year and 5% in the third year. Christine Lee, who presented the agreements to the committee, said the raises were negotiated to be “fiscally responsible and prudent within the limited resources that we do have.”

The paraprofessional unit will receive an additional differential to base pay intended to strengthen the pipeline from paraeducator to teacher: $3,500 in the current year, $2,000 in the second year and $1,500 in the third year, the presentation said. Clerical staff receive two additional steps on the pay schedule (steps 4 and 5) and a $1,000…