www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/1568504,District-204-support-staff-raises_na051109.article
District 204 support staff will get small raise May 12, 2009
By TIM WALDORF twaldorf@scn1.com
The painted windows of the sport utility vehicle parked Monday afternoon in Crouse Education Center parking lot declared that Indian Prairie School District 204's teaching assistants are underpaid.
If that's the case, the contract their union ratified Monday won't really change that.
It will, however, provides them with raises.
The one-year contract will provide 26-cent-per-hour increase for starting support staff, and a 2 percent "step" raise for existing employees.
Members of the Indian Prairie Classified Association's voted 185-46 to approve the deal. The IPCA represents 598 teaching assistants, 95 secretaries, 37 deans, 36 library and technology assistants, and 33 health assistants, clerks and receptionists employed by District 204.
"Given these hard economic times, we appreciate the board's efforts during our negotiations," IPCA President Carol Schaible. "However, to remain competitive with neighboring districts, more will be needed in the future to retain and attract the high quality employees our community expects."
According to the new agreement, the starting salary for secretaries next year is $13.49 per hour, and assistants start at $11.01 per hour.
Currently, starting secretaries earn $13.23 per hour and other IPCA members — including deans' assistants, health assistants and teaching assistants — start at $10.75 per hour.
Next year, Naperville School District 203's secretaries will earn $13.48 per hour, and assistants will earn $11.62 per hour.
Other benchmark districts include St. Charles School District 303, whose secretaries will make $15.42 per hour, and assistants will make $12.96 per hour; Wheaton Warrenville School District 200, whose secretaries will make $13.50 per hour, and assistants will make $10.50 per hour; and Elmhurst School District 205; whose secretaries will make $12.73 per hour, and assistants will make $11.28 per hour.
Schaible said the union works to close this gap in compensation each time it negotiates a new contract and noted that, while some voice their displeasure with the deal, 80 percent of the members who voted on the deal approved of it.
Assistant Superintendent Nancy Valenta said the agreement keeps the district in a competitive position with its benchmark districts for next year.
"It's important for us to remain competitive, because the support staff is an essential workforce that addresses students' needs on a daily basis," Valenta said.
Valenta also said the one-year agreement provides the district some flexibility.
"We weren't interested in a multi-year contract because of the uncertainty of the economy."
Schaible said IPCA members are "known as support staff," and that District 204's teachers, administrators, students and staff will continue to receive that support. She's proud of their dedication and commitment to their jobs, she said.
The Board of Education is expected to vote on the contract at its May 18 meeting.