ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Ann Arbor Public Schools custodial and maintenance workers agreed to lower wages, less vacation time and higher health insurance payments in their most recent contract agreement with the district, which now will retain the 164 workers and their seven supervisors rather than outsource the work, according to The Ann Arbor Chronicle.
In all, the agreement will save the district $1.8 million, which was short of the original target of $2.5 million in the district's budget reduction plan, David Comsa, assistant superintendent for human resources and legal services, told the school board, according to The Chronicle.
The workers are represented by Local 1182 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the report said. All employees will receive an 8 percent decrease in wages, with higher-paid workers accepting an additional decrease of 46 cents an hour, The Chronicle reported.
The district and union will renegotiate wages and benefits in the 2011-2012 school year depending on the district's fund equity and enrollment, the report said.
SOURCE:
The (Ann Arbor) Chronicle, "AAPS
Custodial, Maintenance Kept Public," May 11, 2010
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "School Privatization Survey 2009,"
Dec. 7, 2009
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