Teachers in Freeport, Durham and Pownal schools voted 58-58 Tuesday on a proposed union contract for Regional School Unit 5, failing to ratify the first labor agreement reached with school officials since the district formed in 2009.

Union leaders have scheduled a second vote next Tuesday and Wednesday. They plan to address members’ concerns in the meantime and hope a two-day ballot will increase voting numbers, said President Nancy Drolet, a health and physical education teacher at Freeport High School.

Teachers’ written comments, which were solicited on ballots, included concerns about a combined pay scale that increases some teachers’ salaries greatly and others almost not at all, especially when factored with a proposed increase in teachers’ cost for health benefits, Drolet said.

The school board approved the contract earlier this month.
 


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