BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Cheers echoed out of Kleinhans Music Hall Monday night after teachers ratified a contract. The school board earlier approved it by a 7-2 vote.
"There was a lot of discussion, a lot of questions, but it was passed almost unanimously by the teachers," said Buffalo Teachers Federation President Phil Rumore.
Their last contract ran from 2000-2004, but after litigation and several failed rounds of negotiations, the teachers finally have a new deal.
"I think a lot of the people are really just in disbelief. I mean, you go 16 years, without a contract, and now I'm telling you that it's done. That takes a little while to sink in," said Charles Carey, West Hertel Academy teacher.
Rumore says the teachers made concessions when it came to having longer school days and adding a few days to the schedule, but he felt great strides were made for teachers' salaries.
"Our salaries now, when you look at the salary schedule, are getting up close to being commensurate with what the suburbs get," Rumore said.
Rumore says he is happy with the new deal, and credits Superintendent Kriner Cash for getting it done.
"This is the first time I've been in negotiations where the superintendent of schools has actually sat at the table, and I venture to say that that was instrumental in being able to settle this."
Teachers spent three hours discussing the proposal before voting on it.
Those who spoke with Time Warner Cable News were mixed on the deal. Many of them said though, that the negotiations had become a distraction, and they are relieved to finally have a deal in place.
"We've gone through a lot, but I think this is a new contract, and what we need to do now is we need to start moving forward and we need to start doing what we're here for, and that's to teach the kids and educate in the City of Buffalo," said Martha Lamparelli, Central Registration Center teacher.
Among the key points of the deal, teachers will get a 10 percent raise in the first year, followed by two percent raises in years two and three.
They will also get a one-time lump sum payment of between $2,000 and $9,000 this year based on seniority. The school day will get 25 minutes longer starting next September, while teachers will work two more days in the year, one of which will be for professional development.
Teachers will also have to start contributing for their health care, starting with $500 for an individual plan and $1,100 for a family plan this year.
The teachers' cosmetic surgery rider has been eliminated.
The contract comes with a $98 million price tag. The district has already set aside $65 million for contracts, so it's out spending that by a little more than $30 million.
"Did we go a little past what we originally said? Yes a little bit," said Cash. "But we're within the margins for the first three years. It's in the out years that we'll need to continue to pull in our belt straps and go forward with an aggressive effort together."
Cash has not said what the district will do to make up the $30 million but says he expects the union to work with the district on any revenue projects in the future.