DES MOINES, Iowa – The teachers union for the state’s largest school district is seeking a 7.5 percent raise and the creation of a wellness program for educators in the upcoming school year.

The Des Moines Education Association offered the proposal Monday, for what will surely be the first in a series of contract negotiations for the 2013-14 school year.

District officials are scheduled to respond with their own proposal on Feb. 11, reports The Des Moines Register.

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Des Moines Education Association President Andrew Rasmussen said the proposed salary and benefit increases would cost the district roughly $10.1 million. A cost estimate for the wellness program was not immediately available, according to the news site.

The union is also calling for educators to be able to bank more unused sick time, which can be cashed out upon retirement.

Greg Harris, an executive director with the union, said the proposals are meant to compensate teachers for recent changes within the district.

“The district has cut positions and has not hired back all of the positions that were cut, and the class sizes have continually increased,” said Harris. “Teachers are asked to do more with less time.”

Harris failed to explain how giving union teachers a hefty pay raise and a new “wellness” benefit will improve the district’s financial situation. That’s because the new expenses won’t help the district at all. If anything, even more teachers will be laid off and more student programs will be cut.

The union’s costly proposals come just days after the state teachers union asked lawmakers to approve legislation that would increase state aid to school districts for the coming year.

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The Iowa State Education Association said it expected teacher layoffs and increases in class size if the legislature does not approve the additional aid by a March 1 deadline.

The DMEA said the district’s rainy day fund could be used to pay for some of the proposal’s key components.

An audit report released earlier this month revealed the district’s unreserved fund balance rose from $20.6 million in June 2011 to $45.6 million in June 2012.

Interim schools superintendent Tom Ahart said the district is saving the money until it is truly needed.  He said he expects a portion of the money to be used next year to fund additional instruction and fill potential funding gaps.