Brandon Twp.- The school board unanimously approved a 3-year contract with Teamsters Local #214 during the Aug. 9 board meeting, avoiding privatization of custodians and maintenance personnel.
The union, representing 22 employees who provide custodial and maintenance services throughout the district, approved the contract last month with numerous concessions. Under the new contract, employees will see a reduction in health care coverage; will each pay $80 per month toward the cost of health care; will have their hours reduced from eight hours per day to seven; and will take a 7.6 percent reduction in salary. Of five employees who retired this year, four will not be replaced.
The combined changes save the district $526,373 and avoid the outsourcing of jobs.
‘I appreciate all the hard work the union put in helping us come to this agreement,? said Superintendent Lorrie McMahon. ‘Their goal was to work with the district to maintain and keep their jobs and our goal was to keep them.?
In June, the district also avoided privatization of transportation by ratifying a contract with bus drivers.