Moses Lake schools bargain with classified staff
Lynne Lynch/Columbia Basin HeraldMoses Lake School DistrictÕs classified employees were waving signs Saturday morning outside Frontier Middle School on Third Avenue while union negotiations were going on inside. The employees represented by the Public School Employees union include cooks, secretaries, teacherÕs aides and bus drivers.
MOSES LAKE - Less than two months after signing a contract with teachers, the Moses Lake School District is once again seated at the bargaining table.
The contract under negotiation is for all non-teaching staff, said Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations Monte Redal.
"We had a tentative agreement with the Public School Employees union in July, but they did not ratify that agreement," Redal said.
Classified staff are negotiating with the school district for changes to their contract.
"Hopefully, we'll have a contract that both the district and the membership can approve…and then we'll go from there," said Special Assistant to the Superintendent P.J. De Benedetti, who is not involved with negotiations.
The two entities met on Saturday, but were unable to reach an agreement. Saturday morning, school employees rallied with signs outside Frontier Middle School.
According to the Public School Employees Web site, classified staff include para-educators, campus security, technology positions, transportation personnel, secretaries, maintenance and grounds workers, custodians and food-service employees.
Rosemary Trowbridge, co-president of the Public School Employees Moses Lake Chapter, said 412 school employees are impacted by the contract.
"They're the educational support professionals," Trowbridge said.
Changes sought to the contract include adjustments to wages and benefits, including health insurance, and the length of the contract's term, Trowbridge said.