GIRARD SCHOOLS Nonteaching workers accept a wage freeze

Contract language also was changed to save money.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- Nonteaching union employees of the city schools have accepted a wage freeze next year, Superintendent Marty Santillo says.
Santillo said Thursday the 48 members of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees/American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 425 will relinquish a 3-percent pay raise in the third year of a three-year contract.
The district is under state-imposed fiscal caution and a 7.4-mill operating levy will be on Tuesday's primary ballot to avoid debt.
Treasurer Mark Bello said the freeze will save the district an estimated $45,000. Wages will be frozen no matter what the outcome of the levy issue.
The union represents bus drivers, cafeteria workers, custodians and secretaries.
The membership has been discussing a wage freeze for about a year to avoid layoffs amid the financial problems.
Other measures
Santillo said the union agreed to other cost-cutting measures.
Bus drivers will take pupils to daylong events, leave and return to pick them up at the end of the day rather than staying with them all day.
Also, custodians will open the doors for night school events, leave and return later to close the schools. Custodians will not be paid for staying during the event.
The school board has passed a resolution that allows the district to advertise to fill vacancies rather than taking applicants off a civil-service commission list.
Santillo said that if city Law Director Mark Standohar approves the change, employees will receive their job protection from the collective bargaining agreements rather than civil service.
Santillo explained that the district has only five applicants to choose from when a list is created from the exam scores.
Through advertising, he said, there will be about 300 applicants from which to choose.
yovich@vindy.com