Review Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 6/14/2023 - 7:00 PM
Category: Action Items
Type: Action
Subject: Approval of an Extension to the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Classified Employees Association (CEA) for 2024-2025.
Vision 2026:
Operational Excellence Strategies 5
Hire, develop and retain diverse, high-quality staff.
Policy:
Background The BOE and CEA ratified a three-year contract in April 2021, effective July 1, 2021. A tentative agreement has been reached between representatives of the District and the CEA to extend the current contract by one-year (through June 30, 2025), in conjunction with market competitive salary adjustments for all staff in the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
File Attachment:
CEA 2021-2024 Contract.pdf
Tentative Agreement - MOU Extension of Collective Bargaining Agreement between CEA and CUSD 200 - May 2023.pdf
Summary: Representatives from the District and the CEA initially met in early December 2022 and then continued conversations again beginning in March 2023. A total of six (6) meetings were held prior to reaching a tentative agreement. At the direction of the Board of Education, the focus of the discussions centered around classified position market competitiveness. Topics during the conversations included the existing starting salary structure, existing pay rates for all classified positions, and positions that have been the most difficult to fill, most notably Teaching Assistants (The District spent nearly $900K through outside agencies to fill open Teaching Assistant positions in the 2022-2023 school year).
The parties were able to come to a tentative agreement in the middle of May 2023. The tentative agreement was presented to CEA members and was approved in late May 2023. The major tenants of the tentative agreement are as follows:
1. Starting pay rates (Appendix C) will be increased starting with the 2023-2024 school year.
2. Several Grades (Appendix C - position classifications) have been moved down the Grade scale and one Grade (B) has been eliminated.
3. All existing staff who return in 2023-2024 will receive at least a $1 raise per hour. The estimated total cost increase for 2023-2024 is $500K (this is net when factoring in what increases would have been using existing contract language).
4. All staff who return for the 2024-2025 school year will receive a 5% increase.
5. A committee will be convened in the fall of 2023 to investigate BOE/Employer cost share percentages against comparable school districts.
6. A committee will be convened in the fall of 2023 to investigate adding a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) certification to the LTA career pathway for the 2024-2025 school year.

A copy of the existing agreement along with the Memorandum of Understanding containing all tentatively agreed upon terms is attached.
Funding:
Board Policy
Recommendation: It is recommended that the one-year extension to the current contract between the Board of Education and the Classified Employees Association along with competitive/market salary adjustments for the 2023-2024 fiscal year be approved as presented.
Approvals:
Recommended By:
Signed By:
Brian O'Keeffe - Asst Superintendent Business Services
Signed By:
Jeff Schuler - Superintendent
Vote Results:

Original Motion
Member Erik Hjerpe Moved, Member Angela Blatner seconded to approve the Original motion 'It is recommended that the one-year extension to the current contract between the Board of Education and the Classified Employees Association along with competitive/market salary adjustments for the 2023-2024 fiscal year be approved as presented.'. Upon a Roll-Call Vote being taken, the vote was: Aye: 7 Nay: 0.
The motion Carried 7 - 0
   
Brad Paulsen     Yes
Rob Hanlon     Yes
Dave Long     Yes
Angela Blatner     Yes
Julie Kulovits     Yes
Erik Hjerpe     Yes
John Rutledge     Yes