Sean C. Morgan
The District 55 School Board ratified raises and an increase in insurance benefits as part of a new three-year contract with classified employees, who provide support services, during its regular meeting held on Thursday.
The classified employees ratified the contract on May 30.
Classified employees have had their steps frozen for two school years, 2011-12 and 2012-13. They will receive those steps, along with a third for 2013-14, when the contract takes effect on July 1.
Everyone will be on the correct step at that point, said Business Manager Kevin Strong.
Employees on step 10 will move to step 11 as part of the agreement, said Supt. Don Schrader.
At the same time, the union will receive no cost-of-living-adjustment next school year. In addition, district employees’ schedules included furlough days until this school year.
“It gives everybody an opportunity to get a step,” Schrader said.
The classified salary schedule has 11 steps. The first 10 are annual steps, while the 11th is a longevity step, typically granted after 15 years in the district, Strong said.
In the second year of the contract, the classified employees will receive a 1-percent COLA.
Currently, full-time employees receive $860 per month toward health insurance benefits. In the first year, that will increase to $900, and in the second year it will increase to $930.
The contract is subject to a re-opener in the third year, 2015-16, for salary and insurance benefits.
The two sides met a couple of times and then spent a single day hammering out the details to complete bargaining quickly this year.
Based on what he’s been told, Schrader said, this is the first time in a number of years that the contract was complete prior to the end of the existing contract.
“It basically went very well. Really we got it done in a day. We felt we wanted to move on, with all the stress we had from last year, changing schedules. I really feel good about it.”
The district completed negotiations similarly last year with the licensed staff, he said.
“I think the way the contract turned out, it was good,” said classified association President Velma Canfield. “It was a good contract with the economy the way it is. It was fair to the district and fair to the employees.
“Both teams just worked well together. When we needed to move a little, we gave a little; and when the district need to give a little, it gave a little.”
She believes both teams were impressed with the way they worked together, she said. “We’re just glad it’s done.”