School board approves district’s staff contracts

STAFF REPORT

HOWLAND — Howland school board members have approved contracts for the district’s union and nonunion administrative staff.

At its Monday night session, the board approved the agreement between it and Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 34. The contract, which is valid until July 30, 2011, grants nonteaching members, which includes bus drivers and custodial workers, 45-cent-per-hour raises for the next two years.

It also provides that members will pay up to 5 percent of their insurance benefits — the first-ever premium expense to employees.

The contract will be reopened in the third year solely to renegotiate a raise or change in premiums.

The board also approved an identical salary schedule of the nonunion administrative staff, which is effective for the same date as that of OAPSE members.

Superintendent John Sheets said nonunion workers in the district traditionally receive the same contracts as bargaining units. Administrative staff members will have their contracts amended in the third year as well for possible raise and premium upgrades, he said.

The board did not specify how many members in the district’s six schools would be affected by the agreements.