Support Staff at Plainfield Schools Gets 1-Year Contract

Submitted by Plainfield School District 202

PLAINFIELD, IL — The District 202 Board of Education approved a one-year contract with the Plainfield Association of Support Staff (PASS) that gives a 3 percent raise and improves benefits for most PASS members at a special meeting held Dec. 21.

The new agreement is retroactive to July 1 and expires June 30. PASS ratified the contract on Dec. 11 by a vote of 671 for, and 150 against. The old contract expired on June 30, 2015. Negotiations started in April 2015.

PASS represents 986 non-certified staff this year, including custodians, grounds and maintenance workers, special education teaching assistants and most secretaries.

“We are pleased to have reached this agreement with our support staff whose work is a very important and valuable part of our service to our students, families and the community,” said District 202 Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lane Abrell.

“We believe this contract is fair to our employees while also honoring our obligation to be good stewards of our community’s resources,” added Board of Education President Michelle Smith.

Among other highlights, the contract:

• Gives current PASS members a 3 percent raise
• Gives new PASS members a 2 percent raise over the current base pay rate
• Requires PASS to survey members to determine professional needs and interests
• Moves groundskeepers to a 12 month work calendar which will help with scheduling at key times during the school year, most especially winter because of snowplowing
• Gives special education teaching assistants a $200 stipend at the end of each semester
• Better aligns the contribution amounts for health, major medical and dental plans with those for other employee groups, and clarifies and streamlines the benefits pay structure
• Clarifies and better aligns the use of sick leave and bereavement leave with that of other employee groups

The new contract will cost about $1.2 million more this fiscal year than what PASS employees earned last year.

In September, District 202 approved its 2015-16 budget including about $26.6 million for all salaries and benefits for the 2015-16 school year. With the new PASS contract, salaries and benefits will now total about $26.9 million. District officials are confident the $300,000 can be absorbed through operational savings.

“We would like to thank the Districts Board and Administration for their understanding and hard work on finalizing the PASS contract,” said PASS President John Piechocinski.

“Although we would have liked to have negotiated a longer agreement understand the dynamics that involves the States funding for the future. We look forward to continue working together in the future,” he said.