HARRISBURG -- The Harrisburg Unit 3 School District voted 5-1 to approve a labor contract with the Harrisburg Education Association Monday evening, Superintendent Mike Gauch said.
One board member, Jeffrey Drake, abstained. Drake's wife is a teacher.
The contract, a 2-year agreement, is retroactive to July 1, 2016, when the previous contract with the union expired.
In addition to replacing a so-called "lost step" raise, teachers also fought to retain a benefit of borrowing sick leave from a future school year and inclusion on a health insurance committee for district employees.
As an incentive for teachers to approve the contract, the board agreed it would not issue reduction-in-force notices. The board originally anticipated laying off two teachers at the end of the school year.
