SALEM SCHOOLS Federal mediators to lead labor talks

Two sessions are set for this month.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- City schools Superintendent Dr. David Brobeck says he is hopeful that labor talks with teaching and nonteaching employees can be successfully concluded with the help of federal mediators.
Negotiation sessions led by mediators are to begin Wednesday, with talks between the district and the Salem Education Association, which is representing about 160 teachers whose contract expired Aug. 31.
A second round of mediator-led negotiations is set for Oct. 23 with the district and the Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 215, the union representing about 95 nonteaching staff members, including janitors, cooks and bus drivers. Their contract expired June 30.
Both unions have been working without renewed contracts.
Federal mediators were called in September after the sides agreed that talks were at an impasse.
Citing confidentiality agreements with the union, Brobeck wouldn't detail the sticking points that are preventing contract agreements from occurring.
"I'm optimistic," he said of the upcoming talks and the mediators' involvement. "These guys are trained to cut to the chase."
The numbers
Neither the unions nor the school district will have to pay for the mediators' services, which are provided through the federal government.
Despite the time it's taking to hash out labor agreements, Brobeck said talks are remaining cordial.
"It hasn't been hostile," he said.
Right now, beginning teachers are earning about $25,650 annually. A teacher with a master's degree and 30 years of service makes $54,506 annually.
The highest pay among the nonteaching staff is the $17.11 an hour paid to a maintenance foreman with 20 years on the job.
Lowest paid on the support staff scale is a cafeteria worker who makes $6.93 an hour.
For health insurance, the district spends about $943 per month for each employee on a family insurance plan and about $393 a month for those on the single plan.
Employees do not contribute toward the cost of the insurance premiums.