Employee groups get raises

Talk about it

The District 196 School Board approved deals with six employee groups at its regular meeting Monday, Sept. 10.

The main points of the agreements with each of the groups are largely similar. All six – food service employees, vehicle technicians, principals and assistant principals, non-union administrators, non-licensed specialists and department directors – will receive raises and increased district contributions to matching funds. All six groups will also go a year without any increase in the district’s contribution to health insurance costs. The district will increase its health care contributions in the second year of each contract.

All of the groups will get at least a 2 percent raise in the first year of the new deals, all of which are effective July 1. Principals and assistant principals will receive a 2.2 percent raise in the first year of their deal and a 2.19 percent raise in the second year. Food service workers will receive a 2 percent raise in the first year and a 40-cent increase to each cell of their salary schedule in the second year. There will also be increases to longevity pay.

Department directors will receive a $3,500 district contribution to a 403b retirement savings plan in the first year of their new contract and a $4,000 contribution in the second year.

All other groups except the principals and assistant principals will also receive an increase in the district contribution to a matching account.

Principals also agreed to study and implement an evaluation system.

There was similar language about an evaluation system in the last contract for principals and assistant principals. The district is getting the results of that study now and deciding whether to use a new state-mandated evaluation system or create a system of their own that complies with the state system.

Board members approved all six deals on 6-0 votes.

Board members said they were happy with the negotiation process.

“You see consistency through these labor agreements, and you see the bargaining units bargaining in good faith,” board member Rob Duchscher said.

Tags: school district 196, news, education