Schools

Pearl River School District Clerical Staff Agrees to Contract Givebacks

The Pearl River School District Clerical Staff accepted a reduced salary increase for 2011-12, joining the district's teachers and administration in agreeing to contract givebacks.

The clerical staff became the third labor union in the Pearl River School District to agree to re-negotiate its contract to accept a reduced salary increase for 2011-12, according to a district announcement Tuesday.

The Pearl River teachers and administrators had already agreed to givebacks early last week. All three re-negotiated contracts went to the board of education for approval during Tuesday night's meeting.

The agreement reduces the clerical staff's salary increase for 2011-12 from 3.5 % to 1.5%. They also extended their contract for two more yeras, with increases of 1.6% each of those years. The giveback impacts the salaries of 67 employees of the district in clerical and monitoring positions. This is expected to save the district $48,538 for 2011-12.

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"We have always recognized the commitment and dedication of our clerical staff," said Dr. Frank Auriemma, superitendent of schools. "This generous action portrays just that."

Pearl River Assistant Superintendent Dr. John Morgano and Director of Operations Quinton Van Wynen handled the negotiations with the labor unions regarding the givebacks. According to Van Wynen, the total savings to the district for 2011-12 through the re-negotiated labor contracts is $560,000.

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"On a prorated basis, it is simply not within the clerical unit's capacity to offer the district a giveback where the total savings is comparable to the teachers," Morgano said. "There are fewer of them, they have a different salary scale, and 17 are part-timers. What we appreciate is their willingness to do what was within their capacity for our students and our taxpayers."


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