TPS reaches tentative agreement with administrators’ union

7/1/2011

Toledo Public Schools and its administrators’ union reached a tentative agreement Thursday on a new two-year contract, union president Don Yates said.

The agreement — which comes two days after teachers and the district accepted a fact-finder’s report — would mirror the financial concessions included in the teachers’ new contract, Mr. Yates said. That agreement included a 2.5 percent pay cut for teachers and a significant increase in what teachers pay toward their health insurance.

“Our theme from the beginning was equal sacrifice to balance the budget,” Mr. Yates said.

The Toledo Association of Administrative Personnel represents the district’s 270 principals, counselors, and other nonteaching professionals.

As of now, the agreement is only verbal, Mr. Yates and superintendent Jerome Pecko said, though negotiators are currently crafting a written version. Mr. Yates said union leadership plans to hold a membership meeting Wednesday for a vote on the agreement. Leadership will endorse ratification.

Mr. Pecko said he was ready to call a special school board meeting for Thursday so that board members can vote on the contract, but will wait until a written version of the agreement is signed by leadership on both sides.

While administrators and the district seem poised to sign a new contract, negotiations with the third and final union representing district employees, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, “still have a way to go,” Mr. Pecko said. AFSCME represents bus drivers, food service workers, secretaries, skilled trades employees, and custodians.

The contract for AFSCME members ended Thursday; employees will continue working under the old contract until a new one is signed. The district is seeking similar financial concessions from the union as it got from TAAP and the Toledo Federation of Teachers, Mr. Pecko said. A delay in reaching a new agreement with AFSCME members means the district loses projected savings gained through concessions each day it operates under the old contract.