Manhattan Beach Teachers Ratify Pay Raise of 8.9%

The Manhattan Beach Teachers Assn. ratified a two-year salary agreement Friday that gives teachers a raise of 8.9% across the board, beginning Oct. 12. Senior teaching staff members will receive an additional 1.1% increase.

All teachers could receive another possible half of a percentage point increase if the Manhattan Beach Unified School District decides to extend its 2001-2002 school year from 183 to 184 days.

The contract raises teachers’ base pay from $35,000 a year to roughly $37,800. The highest salaries will move from $63,600 to $72,000. According to the school district, the contract ensures that its teachers will remain the highest paid in the South Bay area.

Deputy Supt. Scott Smith said earlier this week that he was pleased with the agreement.

Walker Williams, executive director of the South Bay United Teachers Assn., which represents Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, Redondo and Centinela teachers’ associations, was more guarded in his appraisal of the negotiations, calling them “tough.”

“There was some real concern about the process, but I guess the proof is in the pudding, since they passed it,” he said.