Calvert Schools, Staff Union Reach Deal

Group Accepts Reduced Pay Raise

The association representing support staff members in Calvert County public schools has reached an agreement with the Board of Education regarding next year's salaries and bonuses.

Members of the Calvert Association of Educational Support Staff voted last week to accept a pay raise of 0.5 percent instead of the 4.5 percent increase they had originally contracted to receive.

The county's teachers union has not reached an agreement with the school board. Negotiations are to begin between the two parties in August.

The board had asked both unions to make concessions in their contracts to help the school system make ends meet in a tight budget year.

"Nobody is getting anything. It is a rough time," said Steven Brooks, president of the support staff union. He said he examined what employees in neighboring counties were receiving. His association represents nearly 850 educational support staff members, ranging from engineering services to educational assistants.

"Everybody is hurting," said Brooks, who has worked in the system for 15 years. "If we can save jobs and still get something, that is a pretty good deal."

In addition to the 0.5 percent pay raises, support employees who are still eligible for step increases will receive them. Those no longer eligible will receive a one-time payment of 1 percent of their base pay, the school board said.

"We want to give them something," Brooks said.

Employee contributions to health insurance premiums will remain at the current level, the board said.

The Calvert Education Association, which represents more than 1,250 teachers, is expected to enter negotiations Aug. 6, said Joseph Sella, a spokesman for both unions.

The teachers are working to get a similar one-time bonus for colleagues who no longer receive step increases, but they want those bonuses rolled into their salary base.

"It just seems reasonable to reward them for their long-term service. The cost difference between the lump-sum payment and rolling it into the salaries is really not significant," Sella said.

Debbie Russ, president of the teachers union, agreed and said that in addition, many of the teachers who would have retired this year did not because of the economy and could use a boost to their retirement packages.

"I am still optimistic that we will have a settlement" without going into negotiations, Russ said. "I feel . . . we are almost there."

The school board must approve the new contract between the school system and the support staff union.