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Teachers’ four‑year contract passes by secret ballot after debate over health‑care costs
Summary
After extended public comment focused on health‑care costs and employer contribution levels, Stratham voters approved a four‑year teachers’ collective bargaining agreement by secret ballot: 175 yes, 104 no and 2 blanks. Residents raised concerns that the agreement leaves health‑plan design unchanged for four years.
Stratham — Voters approved a four‑year collective bargaining agreement with the Stratham Teachers Association after extended debate and a secret‑ballot tally.
The article called for an appropriation of $380,684 for FY27 to cover cost items in the new agreement and set estimated increases for subsequent years: about $307,993 in FY28, $299,123 in FY29 and $323,565 in FY30. Negotiators described the contract as a step toward restoring pay lost during earlier low cost‑of‑living years, with base increases of 3.5% in year one, 3% in years two and three, and 3.5% in year four. The board also said it had negotiated caps on certain professional‑development spending and other cost‑control measures.
Public comment focused heavily on health‑insurance costs and employer contribution levels. "Health care is one of the fastest growing components of our operating budget," one resident said, urging the district to use collective bargaining to modernize plan design rather than leave the structure "unchanged" for four years. Teachers and bargaining-team members countered that health care had been discussed at the table and that the new contract was intended in part to recover ground lost during previous years of smaller increases. Teacher Katie Young, who said she served on the negotiation team, said teachers had accepted the contract to begin regaining compensation lost during a 1.5% four‑year prior agreement while inflation had been far higher.
Because petitioners requested a secret ballot, the moderator supervised distribution and collection of ballots and impartial counters tabulated the results. The moderator announced the tally: 175 yes, 104 no and 2 blanks; the contract passed. The meeting then approved a motion to restrict reconsideration of the article.
What’s next: The contract takes effect according to its terms and the board will monitor implementation and any future bargaining items; residents asked that the board and SAU continue to examine health‑care options at the regional level.
