Buffalo News (New York), July 25, 2008, Friday

Copyright 2008 The Buffalo News

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Buffalo News (New York)

July 25, 2008, Friday

NORTH EDITION

SECTION: LOCAL; Pg. D3

HEADLINE: Unionized, non-union employees get contracts

BYLINE: By Janice L. Habuda - NEWS STAFF REPORTER

BODY:

Multiyear contracts that provide annual pay raises and change employees' contributions to health insurance premiums have been approved for unionized administrators and non-bargaining employees of the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District.

Both pacts were approved by the Ken-Ton School Board earlier this month.

"We believe the new set of contracts, in addition to the top level administrators hired over the past year, will bring strong leadership and stability to the district -- something that has been needed for almost two years," said School Superintendent Mark P. Mondanaro.

"Also, we believe these new contracts will stabilize the amount of clerical turnover that we have been experiencing in the past," the superintendent added.

Administrators will receive annual raises averaging 3.9 percent in their four-year contract. The pact covers principals and assistant principals, elementary school program supervisors, the principal for transition and at-risk students, director of data and research, and the athletic director.

According to Michael B. Haggerty, a spokesman for the district, the starting annual salary for a new high school principal would be $95,675. Pay at the top of the 10-year scale would be $122,535.

Other provisions include:

* Administrators will pay 5 percent toward health insurance costs, up from 4 percent.

* The district will contribute an additional $75 annually to a reimbursement plan for expenses not covered by medical insurance.

* Up to five days of unused vacation time may be sold back to the district annually.

Representatives of the district and union received "Interest Based Bargaining" training through Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, the superintendent said.

"I'm elated that we reached a contract settlement that focuses on stability as we continue to move Ken-Ton forward," he said.

The other contract, for three years, covers 34 non-union employees in three classifications, based on level of responsibility.

Level 1 is hourly employees, including clerical staff and head bus drivers. They will receive annual increases of 5.2 percent, plus they will contribute 6 percent toward health insurance premiums, down from 10 percent.

Level 2 is middle-management, salaried employees, including the supervisor of transportation, school lunch manager and purchasing manager. Their annual raises will be 4.4 percent.

Level 3 is salaried, upper-management staff: assistant superintendents and directors. They will receive raises of 4.5 percent each of the three years.

Further, the contract stipulates that employees in levels two and three are subject to having their automatic salary increases withheld if supervisors determine their job performance isn't satisfactory.

e-mail: jhabuda@buffnews.com

LOAD-DATE: July 25, 2008