BV inks deal with non-teaching staff

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Buckeye Valley officials have inked a new collective bargaining agreement with the union that represents the school district’s non-teaching personnel.

The district’s board of education on Monday approved a three-year contract with Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE) Local 236.

The contract, which runs through July 31, 2018, provides employees of the bargaining unit 2 percent raises each year.

“The district went into negotiations with the goal to get the members to come to work and to stay at work and we were willing to compensate accordingly,” said Treasurer Kelly Ziegler.

For the first two years of the contract, employees in the bargaining unit will be responsible for 10 percent of the health care premium costs, which will rise to 12 percent in the final year of the agreement.

The contract also includes increased severance payouts upon retirement from the district, increased management rights in regards to discipline and employee-contributed flexible spending accounts.

Under the agreement, all of the bargaining unit’s members are required to report to work on the fifth calamity day of the year.

“We had very good negotiations with our classified staff,” said Superintendent Andy Miller. “I thought it was fair on both sides. I think we came up with a fair and fiscally responsible contract.”

The district’s previous contract with the bargaining unit expired on July 31. It provided the union with no raises in the first year of the contract and an opportunity to continue negotiations in year two and three.

The bargaining unit is made up of 111 employee, and includes custodians, maintenance personnel, bus drivers, cooks, secretaries, mechanics, aides and other non-teaching staff.

By Dustin Ensinger

[email protected]

Dustin Ensinger can be reached at 740-413-0902 or on Twitter @EnsingerDG.

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