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Non-teaching employees accept concessions
(by Sue Hoffman - September 09, 2010)
Non-teaching employees accept concessions
By SUE HOFFMAN
A salary freeze and reduced medical benefits are key concessions in the three-year agreement approved by the Solon School Board with the local Ohio Association of Public School Employees.
School board members met at a special meeting Sept. 3 to approve the new agreement, which was completed nearly a year before the present contract expires next summer.
"This is a great day," School Superintendent Joseph V. Regano told school board members. "The concessions by the bargaining unit in this contract not only save significant dollars but also saved 15 staff positions."
OAPSE represents 189 employees in the school district, including bus drivers, cafeteria workers, custodians, secretaries, payroll staff, maintenance workers and other nonteaching staff members.
Members of the association ratified the contract by 2-1 margin, Mr. Regano said.
"By far, it's the most significant contract we've concluded in the district," he said. "We are pleased and gratified that the board and OAPSE were able to reach an agreement that will positively impact the district's financial situation over the long term."
Mr. Regano said ratifying the agreement in advance "will prove important for financial planning and forecasting in the complicated and challenging economic environment of school finance."
The new contract calls for no salary increases during each of the three years. In the 2011-2012 school year, employees covered by the OAPSE contract will have a total wage freeze, which includes no salary or step increases. "For 2012-2013, there will again be a zero percent salary increase, but the least senior and lowest compensated staff members would be eligible for step increases," Mr. Regano said. "In 2013-2014, there would again be a total freeze," he said, with no salary or step increases.
He said, in order to conclude the three-year agreement, the school board and OAPSE agreed on a clause that, if another operating levy passes before Sept. 1, 2013, negotiations on the third year could be reopened. However, that is unanticipated, he said.
The pattern of "total freeze-freeze with steps-total freeze" will also be implemented for the district's aides, monitors and administrators, Mr. Regano said. "These employees had their wages frozen for the current 2010-2011 school year as well."
OAPSE agreed to concessions in medical benefits. For 2011-2012, employees' spouses will no longer be allowed to receive their primary medical insurance coverage under the district's plan if they have coverage available to them in their work places. The provision already has been in place for new employees. In 2012-2013, when step increases are possible, additional benefit reductions will go into effect, with a deductible of $1,000 and increased employee contributions for premiums.
Mr. Regano said, during the campaign for the May operating levy, school officials "made commitments and promises" to the community to reduce expenditures, in part by negotiating new collective bargaining agreements. The district has committed to further reducing its budget "without massive layoffs" while "continuing education at the highest level possible," he said.
Solon had the highest performance index in the state on the 2009-2010 state report card, he said.
"The community support for the May levy was crucial," he said. "Instead of rejecting a levy and forcing these types of reductions, our residents took the high road and permitted this process to work and fulfill our commitment to make these changes.
"This agreement reflects the same types of losses in employee positions and reductions in salaries and benefits that our community has been experiencing in the private sector."
Several school board members thanked the community for their trust and the members of OAPSE for seeing "the big picture."
"It's so important that we followed through with the commitments we made to the community," school board member Julie Glavin said.
"I think this (the contract) will be a template for a lot of districts around the State of Ohio," school board President Roger Goudy said.
Mr. Regano said school officials have been negotiating with both OAPSE and the Solon Education Association, which represents teachers, on new contracts for the last 18 months. He said the OAPSE agreement is the first to be completed.
Mr. Regano said he expects the dialogue with teachers to result in "a similar conclusion."
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