"I'm ecstatic that it's over. It's been a long 19 months since we started the whole process," said Robert Riege of the new 2-year contacted ratified by the Austin Education Association.

Riege, president of the AEA and also a member of the teachers' negotiation team, said union members were "substantially in favor" of the new contract.

The vote was taken last Wednesday and Thursday. Exact results were not announced. The district has 278 full-time-equivalent teachers. With adult basic education and other members, the number increases to 282.

When the district's contract offer was rejected by the AEA in March, dollars and cents were at the core of the impasse.

The district had offered no increase in 2002 and four percent in 2003.

The AEA's negotiating team polled teachers after the pact was given tentative approval and the teachers decided the offer should be rejected.

The new pact approved this past week calls for a one percent pay hike this year and three percent in 2003.

Teachers will also receive an increase in sick leave days from five to nine and six retiring teachers will benefit a little bit by the one percent pay hike in this their last year of teaching plus removal of a co-pay requirement.

Riege praised the AEA's negotiating team for a "great job." The negotiators included chief negotiator Jeff Ollman and team members Diane Wangsness and Dewey Schara as well as Riege.

Comment from the Austin Public Schools officials were not available Friday afternoon.

Riege said the new pact "doesn't cost the district that much money."

The district and AEA were at a contract impasse since last June.

Negotiations on the next contract begin next April.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto: lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com