G.V. OKs one union contract, but janitors are out of jobs
Custodial services will be outsourced
CONCORD >> The Garnet Valley School Board and the Garnet Valley Education Support Professionals have entered into a tentative agreement for a fouryear contract which will call for raises in each year. The union represents paraprofessionals, custodians, transportation, food service and clerical employees.
Terms of the salary increases, which begin in the 2016-17 school year, will not be released prior to contract approval by the union. According to Superintendent Marc Bertrando, the union is most likely to take a vote on the tentative agreement by the end of August or first week of September.
New hires after the effective date of the agreement will begin on a modified wage scale below the 201516 wage rates for employees. In combination with the wage modification, the parties have agreed to significant changes in healthcare plan designs, premium contributions, and the introduction of a Qualified High Deductible Plan.
As part of the overall agreement, the parties agreed that custodial services shall be outsourced to a third party vendor. The union and the district agreed to terms of the severance package for the 30 custodial employees.
The agreement also includes modification to a number of day-to-day employment matters including issues of compensated and uncompensated leave, and the designs of transportation routing for bus drivers. The efficiencies achieved with transportation routing will allow the district to maintain an in-house transportation group instead of exploring a third party transportation provider.
In the remaining matter of outsourcing previously under consideration by the district, food service shall continue to be delivered by the Chartwell management firm along with district employees. As those district employees leave through attrition, Chartwell’s (or any chosen third party firm) will expand its role.
“In an era of prolonged public sector labor negotiations, the parties have come together to create four years of labor peace in the district during continued difficult economic times especially in light of the ongoing state pension obligations of public school employers,” said attorney Mark Fitzgerald, the district’s labor counsel.
“We feel this contract is essential for the school district and balances the needs of our employees and the needs for the district from a fiscal perspective. It allows us to continue our focus on the students and the high academic achievement of our district.” said school board President and Negotiations Chairperson Rosemary Fiumara.