Nyack Schools Secretaries Fight for Contract

A group of disgruntled employees of the Nyack School District are asking the administration to ratify an agreement they believed they’ve earned and negotiated in good faith.

The Nyack Association of Educational Secretaries (NAES) has been working without a contract since last June, when their previous agreement expired.  

NAES President Tara Yonta said her organization and district officials first entered into negotiations last April and finally reached a tentative agreement earlier this year.

The 36 member NAES voted to accept a four-year deal highlighted by a zero percent pay increase during the first year, a 1.5 percent hike in year two, a 1.75 percent bump up during the third year and a 1.9 percent spike during the final year, Yonta stated. Also included in the agreement were six month deferments in step pay increases.

The new contract was scheduled to be voted on by the School Board at its March 1 meeting, but was tabled.

Frustrated by these developments, Yonta and fellow members of the NAES have begun a public campaign to get their contract approved.

At the April 5 and April 12 School Board meetings, a large contingent of the NAES were in attendance and, in a show of unity, could be seen wearing bright red shirts with large black lettering that read “Where’s Our Contract?”

Yonta said the clerical staffs at Nyack’s five schools and administration office work very hard performing a myriad of tasks on a daily basis and play a vital role in helping the district function.

“By not ratifying our contract, it sends the message that we are insignificant,” she added. “We want what we feel we’ve earned and deserve.”

School Board President Michael Lagana declined comment at this time, stating the Board of Education does not publicly speak on unsettled contract matters.

Yonta said her organization plans to be persistent until the issue is resolved.