More than 400 members of the Board of Education Non-Teaching Employees union and the Rochester Area Paraprofessionals union protested at last night’s city school board meeting over contract negotiations with the district.
The unions, which represent a wide range of often lower-paid non-teaching employees – bus drivers, food servers, clerical support staff, custodians, security guards, and others — are seeking a 2.9 percent salary increase. They say they want an increase similar to the increase that Rochester teachers received in their latest agreement with the district.
Board members heard from more than 20 angry and frustrated workers, several of whom said that they can’t support their families and pay their basic expenses, much less make concessions like the district is asking. Those concessions haven’t been made public, but BENTE president Dan DiClemente says that the increase that the district is offering isn’t anywhere near 2.9 percent.
District officials will not comment on the negotiations. And both sides passed out dueling sets of information at last night’s meeting. In a guest essay that DiClemente and Margie Brumfield, president of RAP, submitted to the Democrat and Chronicle, they said that BENTE and RAP have experienced the brunt of employee cuts over the last 15 years.
And in another written statement, they argue that while the district says it doesn’t have the money to spare, it continues to hire highly-paid administrators. Administrative positions filled since January 2014 exceed $2.8 million in salaries, they say.
But according to a prepared statement from district officials, there has been a slight increase in BENTE/RAP employee hires during the last few school years. And they provided a graphic prepared by an outside organization showing that average hourly salaries for BENTE and RAP employees in the 2013-2014 school year well exceed the average salaries of employees doing those same jobs in neighboring districts.
For example, the average salary for a food service worker in a neighboring district, according to data that the district is using, is about $10 an hour. The average salary for a food service worker in the district, however, is about $13 an hour.
Contract negotiations rarely go smoothly in the city school district. And there has historically been added sensitivity about negotiations with the BENTE/RAP employees. Their contract expired last July.
There are some higher-paid members, such as physical therapists, and there are some employees, secretaries for example, who are earning excellent salaries due to their longevity.
But that isn’t representative of most BENTE/RAP employees, DiClemente says. Unlike the generally higher paid city teachers and administrators, the majority of these employees are black and Hispanic. Most live in the city and their children attend city schools.
DiClemente says that while it’s true that the district offers good health benefits to even part-time BENTE/RAP employees, that having to contribute 15 percent of the insurance costs when an employee is making between $9.50 and $15 hour causes some to go without the benefit.
But there are two larger issues. One is stagnant US wages, and the BENTE/RAP employees are hardly alone with this problem. The other is the impact of concentrated poverty on urban schools. Ironically, the district struggles to build stability into the lives of its students, but even its own employees with children enrolled in city schools can’t count on the district for economic stability.
This article appears in Oct 22-28, 2014.
Instead of wasting all of our time and effort on the wages…I would like to see all questions answered regarding teen intervention programs by adding more than one location; creating jobs; police reorganization and making the streets of “two Rochester’s” safer for all folks so we can come to the neighborhoods to spend money ( sales tax rev. increase); body cameras; educational improvements in graduation rates as the School Board cannot seem to fix it after 30 years; abandoned homes and business (2000 or more properties). That is what I would like to focus on !!! Cannot give all workers a blanket raise…only those that ,after review ,show up on time, don’t call in sick unless absolutely necessary; work hard every day; have a pleasant attitude toward students ( customers ); work extra if called upon to do so… that is the way it works in private or corporate employment. Food service, retail and the like only pay, at best, $10 or less per hour…even in Monroe County outside of the City Limits.
Craig R. Moffitt
A shutdown is long over due. The district can’t open without BENTE staff or RAP. Imagine what would happen if even half of all BENTE/RAP staff called in at once. Respect the hard work BENTE/RAP provide esp. when these are city residence with city kids in the system.
Don’t comment if your not a city resident. That’s the problem with a lot of you. Just like you want to talk about our Mayor but live in the burbs!…
To me…. the City of Rochester and The County of Monroe are or should be one cohesive unit working together. Unfortunately, Democrats control Rochester and Republicans control Monroe County. Monroe County has no say in any school matter and the City of Rochester has no say in the RCSD. If I live in the suburbs or the City I will have my say, or opinion, about any matter that is of consequence to City or County residents. And, I will equally criticize and praise the Mayor, County Executive, RHA, County Legislature, City Council, David Gantt, Joe Morelle, Ted O’Brien, Adam Mc Fadden, unions. non-union folks, Jeff Adair or any other elected official in my district or other districts if I believe, with fact and good reason, that the elected official (s) is not doing their job properly, with balance and fairness to the entire community first…putting his / her personal feelings aside in the best interests of the majority. Our Mayor ??? I helped her get to that office my friend. And, her job is to listen to you and me first…then make the “best” decision possible.
Craig R. Moffitt