Saturday, September 4, 2010
NESPA MEMBERS PRESS FOR RESPECT at School Board Meeting!
On Tuesday, August 24, NESPA members and supporters packed the School Board meeting, for the last Board meeting before the start of school.
As NESPA incoming Co-President Peggy Sturm and outgoing Co-President Marge Mitchell spoke, people in the room stood up with signs reading, "RESPECT and VALUE ALL NORTHSHORE STAFF."
Peggy stated to the Board members and Superintendent, "How is it that every custodian, every bus driver, and nearly every office staff person, teacher, and administrator gets enough hours for benefits...but it "costs too much" to provide benefits to about 40 more NESPA members? If this isn't second class treatment, what is it?"
As NESPA incoming Co-President Peggy Sturm and outgoing Co-President Marge Mitchell spoke, people in the room stood up with signs reading, "RESPECT and VALUE ALL NORTHSHORE STAFF."
Peggy and Marge updated the Board and Supt. Francois on the pay, benefit, job security, and tech (inadequate computers) issues facing us. Marge told them, "If we don't have an agreement by Monday, August 30, no one can say that you inherited these disparities. They will be yours. You will own them. And we are not going away. We're in this for the long haul. We will do what it takes to be VALUED an RESPECTED like other District employees."
Peggy stated to the Board members and Superintendent, "How is it that every custodian, every bus driver, and nearly every office staff person, teacher, and administrator gets enough hours for benefits...but it "costs too much" to provide benefits to about 40 more NESPA members? If this isn't second class treatment, what is it?"
Parent Heather Tucker, whose son Sean has been with One-on-One Special Education Paraeducator Dawn Schmidt from Hollywood Hill Elementary through Woodinville High School, also spoke to the Board about the need for Northshore to respect the work of Special Education Paraeducators.
NESPA members will continue to pack specified Board meetings and other events to win the RESPECT we deserve! Don't miss the next one!
Friday, August 20, 2010
"Get a Better Job!" Negotiations Update
Little progress was made this week and we have two more negotiations scheduled for next week. The administration's spokesperson told us that if NESPA members want better pay, and to get benefits, they should get a better job! Yes, he actually did say that! We are working together to improve our NESPA jobs. This is how we have created a middle class in the industrialized world--by improving salaries, winning benefits and pensions. Why should Educational Support Professionals be treated like second class employees?
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Why are we paid less than NSD's lowest paid custodians? And every bus driver and office person?
Click HERE for the salary schedule comparisons for most of NESPA, for the lowest paid custodians, for bus drivers, and the lowest paid office staff.
At the top is NESPA's Level 1 salary schedule. This is how more than 90% of NESPA's 460 members are paid. It is the salary schedule for all Paraeducators-Special Education, LAP/Title, ELL. For all School Assistants. And for all School Technology Specialists. The only large group of NESPA employees who are not at Level 1 are School Nurses. And there are a few other employees who are not at Level 1, including about 8 Head Start staff, and a handful of interpreters for the Deaf.
As you can see, over 90% of the District's Educational Support Professional make from $13.96 per hour and up to $17.44 per hour, in their 15th year.
The next Salary Schedule are the 3 lowest paid Custodian salary levels in Northshore. There are other higher paid custodians. These are the 3 lowest. The lowest paid custodian classification - those who do cleaning only - are called "custodians". They start at $15.11 per hour - a wage that Education Support Professionals don't make until their 3rd year. And they make $17.51 at 6 years - which is higher than the top NESPA rate of $17.44 in their 15th year. And custodians make $18.04 per hour in their 15th year -60 cents higher than the $17.44 NESPA members make - or about 3-1/2% more. We'd like to understand why Northshore values the lowest paid custodian - those who only clean - they don't run boilers or do technical work like that - why does the District value those employees higher than the employees who actually teach our students?
I should also point out that every custodian is guaranteed an 8 hour work day and benefits. There is no 20 hour ceiling for any custodian.
Could it be that custodians are a historically male group - though now there are many women who are custodians. Could it be that the salaries of custodians are not considered "supplemental income" because it is a group - being historically male - whose income is considered essential?
Our custodians are worth every penny they are paid - and more. But aren't Northshore's Educational Support Professionals worth at least as much? You are the decision-makers for Northshore. You decide.
The next salary schedule is that of Northshore's bus drivers. As you can see, for next year, starting in September, they will start at $18.09 per hour. That's more than 90% of Northshore's Educational Support Professionals ever make. They start at a higher wage than Northshore's Educational Support Professionals make after 15 years. The bus drivers top out at $20.41 per hour. That's 17% higher than Northshore's educational Support Professionals.
Equally important, every bus driver is guaranteed medical benefits. There is no 20 hour ceiling for our bus drivers. They are guaranteed enough hours to get medical benefits. They deserve that.
NESPA is not even asking for that. We are simply asking that hours be combined when possible, so that more NESPA members work enough hours to get benefits. NOT ALL NESPA members. Just MORE. Based on adding hours, when schedules permit it. So far, the District negotiating team has told us that they are not agreeable to that.
Why do bus drivers make more? Could part of the reason be that this is a historically male group - although now there are many women bus drivers?
Aren't the people who teach our students worth as much as the people who drive the students to and from school?
At the top is NESPA's Level 1 salary schedule. This is how more than 90% of NESPA's 460 members are paid. It is the salary schedule for all Paraeducators-Special Education, LAP/Title, ELL. For all School Assistants. And for all School Technology Specialists. The only large group of NESPA employees who are not at Level 1 are School Nurses. And there are a few other employees who are not at Level 1, including about 8 Head Start staff, and a handful of interpreters for the Deaf.
As you can see, over 90% of the District's Educational Support Professional make from $13.96 per hour and up to $17.44 per hour, in their 15th year.
The next Salary Schedule are the 3 lowest paid Custodian salary levels in Northshore. There are other higher paid custodians. These are the 3 lowest. The lowest paid custodian classification - those who do cleaning only - are called "custodians". They start at $15.11 per hour - a wage that Education Support Professionals don't make until their 3rd year. And they make $17.51 at 6 years - which is higher than the top NESPA rate of $17.44 in their 15th year. And custodians make $18.04 per hour in their 15th year -60 cents higher than the $17.44 NESPA members make - or about 3-1/2% more. We'd like to understand why Northshore values the lowest paid custodian - those who only clean - they don't run boilers or do technical work like that - why does the District value those employees higher than the employees who actually teach our students?
I should also point out that every custodian is guaranteed an 8 hour work day and benefits. There is no 20 hour ceiling for any custodian.
Could it be that custodians are a historically male group - though now there are many women who are custodians. Could it be that the salaries of custodians are not considered "supplemental income" because it is a group - being historically male - whose income is considered essential?
Our custodians are worth every penny they are paid - and more. But aren't Northshore's Educational Support Professionals worth at least as much? You are the decision-makers for Northshore. You decide.
The next salary schedule is that of Northshore's bus drivers. As you can see, for next year, starting in September, they will start at $18.09 per hour. That's more than 90% of Northshore's Educational Support Professionals ever make. They start at a higher wage than Northshore's Educational Support Professionals make after 15 years. The bus drivers top out at $20.41 per hour. That's 17% higher than Northshore's educational Support Professionals.
Equally important, every bus driver is guaranteed medical benefits. There is no 20 hour ceiling for our bus drivers. They are guaranteed enough hours to get medical benefits. They deserve that.
NESPA is not even asking for that. We are simply asking that hours be combined when possible, so that more NESPA members work enough hours to get benefits. NOT ALL NESPA members. Just MORE. Based on adding hours, when schedules permit it. So far, the District negotiating team has told us that they are not agreeable to that.
Why do bus drivers make more? Could part of the reason be that this is a historically male group - although now there are many women bus drivers?
Aren't the people who teach our students worth as much as the people who drive the students to and from school?
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