KENNEBUNK – Regional School Unit 21 and the district’s Custodial, Maintenance and Grounds Unit signed a new, three-year contract June 24.
The contract includes a new starting wage for custodians at $18.75 per hour; maintenance and grounds employees start at $22 an hour, according to school board chair Art LeBlanc. He said the contract maintains existing health benefits.
“Thanks to our Human Resources Director, Dr. Scott Harrison, and a thorough market analysis, Superintendent Dr. Cooper and the (school) board were able to support the new contract addressing a market alignment of the pay scales with increases across all experience levels,” LeBlanc said in a news release.
The prior starting wage in the 2021-22 school year was $15.07 for custodians and $16.43 for maintenance employees, said LeBlanc in an email. He said longevity pay from prior year contracts was removed and replaced by a 30-year wage scale in the new contract.
The agreement marks the third three-year contract to be completed by the RSU 21 School Board and its bargaining units – the others inked earlier include Kennebunk, Arundel, and Kennebunkport Educators’ Association and the Transportation Employees Association.
“We felt extremely supported by the entirety of the school board, Dr. Cooper, and Dr. Harrison,” said Custodial, Maintenance and Grounds Unit President Terri Baird in the news release. Baird added communication from the district was always clear. “My peers and I feel as though this was a positive outcome, and we look forward to the direction we are headed,” said Baird.
Cooper, the superintendent, attended negotiation sessions; a departure from prior superintendent practices, the news release noted.
“The past two years have presented our community, students, and staff with significant challenges,” said Cooper. “The board has worked closely with our employees to provide contracts that protect the health and well-being of our staff, provide professional development, and competitive total compensation.”
RSU 21 board member and lead negotiator Dawn Therrien thanked the union for their commitment to the negotiating process.
“This three-year collective bargaining agreement encompasses highly competitive wage scales grounded in market data for both custodians as well as maintenance and grounds employees,” Therrien said in the news release. “In addition, the agreement continues to support generous healthcare and dental benefits, paid vacation, and sick time, 13 paid holidays including Juneteenth, as well as reimbursement for continuing education. Employees also receive retirement contributions to the Maine Public Employee Retirement System paid by RSU 21.”
In June 2021, the RSU 21 board inked a new contract with the educators’ association that increased starting pay, made adjustments to the 30-year salary scale, and added a Masters + 30 scale for the first time. According to the news release, incentives were funded to support national teacher certifications and tuition reimbursement while maintaining current health benefits and, aligning with other high performing districts, increasing the number of workdays from 182 to 184.
Also in 2021, the transportation contract addressed starting pay for bus drivers, bus aides, and mechanics while providing assistance in driver certifications and tuition reimbursement.
In late 2021, while experiencing a staffing shortage of Educational Technicians, Cooper worked Harrison, the human resources director, to reclassify 60 educational technician positions so that they could directly support the students and teaching staff of RSU 21, providing more flexibility during the pandemic, the news release stated.
Harrison said the adjustments are based on market data.
“In every contract, we have performed an analysis of the districts in York and Cumberland counties to make sure that RSU 21 is not only competitive, but also a great place to build a career in education,” said Harrison.
For more information about employment opportunities, visit https://rsu21.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home?c=rsu21.
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