The contracts the School Committee recently approved for teachers aides, secretaries and clerks closely mirror the collective bargaining agreement approved earlier this fiscal year for teachers.
WEST SPRINGFIELD – The School Committee has unanimously approved three-year contracts for teachers aides, clerks and secretaries that allow for 2 percent cost of living raises the first year.
The committee voted 6-0 Tuesday with no discussion on the pacts, which closely mirror the agreement approved earlier for the union representing the School Department’s teachers.
“In today’s economy everyone is now on the same playing field,” School Committee Vice Chairman Daniel G. Sullivan said Wednesday. “No one (union) is getting more than the other ones. It adds fairness.”
The contract of Unit C of the West Springfield Education Association, which represents clerks and secretaries calls for second year with members to remaining at the step achieved the previous year. Funds equivalent to moving eligible members up a step will be divided by the total number of hours worked annually by all members and the resulting amount will be added permanently to each step.
The third year of the contract, which runs from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013, allows for 1 percent raises as of July 1, 2012 with an additional 1 percent added Jan. 1, 2012 for 12-month employees and on the 93rd day of the 2012-2013 year for 10-month employees.
The contract for fiscal 2011, including the 2 percent raise, allows for a starting rate of $12.82 an hour with a maximum of $22.98 an hour at the highest pay grade after nine years. Unit C represents about 35 employees.
The contract for Unit D of the West Springfield Education Association, which covers teachers aides, allows for and no cost of living increase the second year. The third year of the pact provides for a 1 percent raise the first day of the school year with an additional 1 percent as of the 93rd day of the academic year.
That contract brings the starting rate for teachers aides with a high school diploma for fiscal 2011, the current financial year, to $11.14 an hour with a maximum of $16.21 an hour at the top of the scale after 25 years.
Unit D represents more than 100 teachers aides.
In February, the Town Council appropriated the $346,624 needed to fund 2 percent raises for the district’s approximately 350 teachers this fiscal year. Its approval for funding must also be gained for the teachers aides, secretaries and clerks to get their cost of living increases.
It will cost $44,086 to fund their pay increases, according to acting Assistant School Superintendent Kevin A. McQuillan.