NORTHAMPTON — Members of the Northampton Association of School Employees ratified all six of its labor contracts on Monday afternoon — just in time for the school year to begin on Wednesday.
“It’s a big step toward addressing a lot of the concerns we raised,” said NASE president Sadie Cora. “We look forward to continuing to work on it.”
NASE represents teachers, educational support professionals, clerical workers, custodians, cafeteria workers and administrators. Members were “overwhelmingly” in support of the three-year contracts, Cora said.
In late July, after six months of negotiations, NASE and the School Committee struck a tentative deal. Earlier in the month, the School Committee unanimously ratified all the contracts.
Both the teachers’ and cafeteria workers’ contracts include a 3-percent raise every year for the next three years, Superintendent John Provost said at a recent School Committee meeting. NASE has been advocating for an increase in teacher pay for months.
Educational support professionals will receive a 4-percent raise the first year and a 3-percent raise in each of the following two years. Administrators will receive a 2-percent raise the first two years and then a 2.5-percent increase, according to Provost. Pay scales for custodians and clerical staff will be made consistent with the pay scale for similar positions in the city, Provost said.
Cora said she is excited the contracts are ratified. “I’m looking forward to continuing the work we’ve been doing in the union,” she said, “and starting the school year and teaching kids.”
Greta Jochem can be reached at gjochem@gazettenet.com.