GIRARD Teachers agree to 2-year pact that imposes a wage freeze

Wages will be frozen regardless of the outcome of the levy vote.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- Hot on the heels of their co-workers, teachers in the Girard city schools have accepted a wage freeze for the next two years.
Superintendent Marty Santillo said the teachers union voted Friday to accept a two-year agreement, which includes the wage freeze for each year. The pact is expected to be ratified by the board of education today.
The teachers' decision came one day after the district's nonteaching staff agreed to relinquish a 3 percent raise next year, the final year of their three-year pact.
"They are really doing the job," Santillo said. "They see the need for the levy and helping the district."
Girard city schools are under state-imposed fiscal caution, and officials have placed a 7.4-mill operating levy on Tuesday's primary election ballot.
Keeping contract terms
Santillo said the current contract expires at the end of August, and the teachers' union agreed to the same terms for the new two-year agreement, as well as the wage freeze.
The wages of both unions, as well as those of administrators in the district, will be frozen regardless of the outcome of Tuesday's levy vote.
The board of education will meet in special session at 1:30 p.m. today at the Creekside Golf Dome, 1300 N. State St., to vote on the matter.
The meeting will also feature a pizza party for pupils from the district who will spend the morning distributing levy fliers in the community. School officials, levy committee leaders Bob Delisio and Midge Stevens, and several teachers and other employees from the school district will also be on hand to answer questions about the levy issue.
slshaulis@vindy.com