Union and Bethel district have tentative deal

A tentative settlement has been reached in contract negotiations between the Bethel School District and a union representing more than 1,000 of its transportation, maintenance, food-service, technology and office workers.

The agreement, which is awaiting a vote by union members, was announced last week by the district and confirmed by Richard King, president of the executive board of the Bethel chapter of Public School Employees (PSE).

King couldn't reveal details of the tentative deal because they hadn't been presented to the general membership.

District and union representatives were scheduled to finalize proposed contract language in a meeting Aug. 21, roughly two weeks before the current contract is due to expire.

In June, the two sides settled on non-financial matters. The tentative agreement that was announced last week is on financial issues such as wages.

In the results of a membership survey posted on the union’s website, survey participants ranked wages as their top bargaining priority. They also gave high priority to lowering healthcare costs, and more than half of them said there isn’t adequate staffing for their departments or units.

The union's current contract, in effect since Sept. 1, 2014, is scheduled to expire on Aug. 31, shortly before the start of the 2017-18 school year.

The Bethel chapter of PSE has approximately 1,100 members. They include transportation workers, school bus assistants, child nutrition staff, custodians, maintenance and technology workers, mechanics, para-educators and special services workers, secretaries and clerks, and transportation workers.