EAST GREENWICH — The School Committee last night ratified a contract with the teachers union, retroactive to last Sept. 1, that provides raises approaching 5.5 percent over two years and increases the teachers’ share of the cost of their health insurance coverage.

The rank and file of the 235-member East Greenwich Education Association will take their ratification vote at 4 p.m. tomorrow in the American Legion hall on Post Road.

The seven-member school board’s action was not unanimous. Marilyn Friedemann and William “Skip” Day dissented.

The union has been working without a contract since the previous agreement expired, on Aug. 31, 2007. The teachers struck for three days at the scheduled start of classes and reported to work only when a court order was issued.

For some time the members adopted a work-to-rule stance, eschewing all of the voluntary services — such as staffing open house events and offering after school help — that were not required by the old contract.

Most of the contract talks were overseen by a state-appointed mediator, who was not present when the sides struck a tentative agreement early this month.

Supt. Charles E. Meyers last night called the proposed new contract “a fair agreement, given the financial climate. It gives us the basis to go forward with the educational process.”

Said Donna Hayes, president of the teachers union: “We are happy with the vote. It’s been a long process.”

The two-year contract provides across-the-board raises of 2.7 percent in the first year and 2.5 in the second year.

Currently, teachers on the first three steps of the 10-step salary scale pay 5 percent of their insurance premiums, and those on the seven higher steps pay 10 percent.

In the first year of the proposed contract, the lower-step teachers’ share would increase to 6 percent and the higher-step teachers’ share to 12 percent. In the second year, the shares would increase to 7.5 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

All teachers hired from now on would pay the 15 percent share.

Also, the copayment for emergency room visits would increase from the current $25 to $100.

lsparks@projo.com