WH School Cafeteria Managers Getting Raises, Bonuses

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The local school board and the managers entrusted with feeding West Hartford schoolchildren have inked a new four-year labor deal bringing them pay raises each year.

The West Hartford Board of Education unanimously voted Oct. 18 to approve the labor contract that was ratified by the West Hartford Board of Education Cafeteria Managers Union Sept. 19.

West Hartford School System Executive Director of Human Resources Julio Duarte briefed board members about the union and the labor contract.

"This is a group of six extremely dedicated employees that oversee all of the day-to-day operations in their assigned cafeteria," Duarte said, adding the managers are responsible for 4,500 meals per day in West Hartford.

According to the contract's terms, the managers will receive 2.5 percent annual wages if they're employed in Steps 1-6 during the course of the four years.

Step 7 managers, however, will receive 3 percent annual wage increases from 2022-23 to 2025-26, according to the contract.

Cafeteria managers earn between $22.31 an hour for Step 1 to $26.58 an hour for Step 7, according to the prior pact.

Meanwhile, the managers are responsible for 20 percent of their medical insurance coverage this year (unchanged), while that percentage increases to 20.5 percent, 21 percent and 21 percent the remaining years of the deal.

The school board and union also agreed to increases in longevity bonuses that are paid out to managers, increasing that amount by $125.

For example, the bonus for a manager with 5 to 9 years of experience is now $525 while somebody with 25 or more years gets $1,075, with bonuses for levels of experience between those service times varying from $725 to $975.

"I did want to take a moment and thank all of our outstanding cafeteria managers for the passion that they bring every day to work with them that helps ensure that we not only create a safe, but healthy environment for all of our students to enjoy," Duarte said.

He said some of the managers oversee multiple schools at the elementary school level, with the larger high schools each having their own manager.

West Hartford has 11 elementary schools, three middle schools and two high schools.

To watch the Oct. 18 West Hartford Board of Education meeting, click on this link.

For details of the ratified contract, click on this link.