"After months of negotiations, the Tri-City United ISD 2905 Paraprofessionals, represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 284 (SEIU Local 284), have reached a tentative agreement with the district. This agreement comes after a concerted effort to address critical issues such as chronic short staffing and high paraprofessional turnover, which have strained students and staff.

The bargaining unit is comprised of 48 paraprofessionals who serve students' needs through classroom and direct one-on-one support. The contract expired on June 30, 2024, and the parties began bargaining on May 22, 2024. The proposed agreement is expected to help retain staff and create a more sustainable and supportive environment for staff and students.

Some highlights of the contract include:

·       16.1% total increase in wages and benefits in the next two years.

·       Average raises of 13.8% over the next two years.

·       The district's contribution to insurance goes up 29% over the next two years (from $7K/yr. to $9K/yr.).

·       One more personal day for all paras.

·       Starting pay up from $14.25 to $16.50 this year, going to $17 next year.

·       Step schedule down from 12 steps to 5 (from 25 steps two years ago).

Megan Duffney, a paraprofessional at Montgomery K-8 school and the group's union steward, remarks about the tentative agreement,

"The successful conclusion of our contract negotiations highlights the bargaining team's hard work, dedication, and perseverance. As the union steward, I am proud of the bargaining team's commitment and countless hours of effort, which resulted in an agreement that values the crucial contributions of paraprofessionals and secures better terms for all. We are happy that we were able to communicate constructively with the district to reach an agreement.

The next step is for the agreement to move forward to a ratification vote by the membership, where the bargaining team recommends a "yes" vote.

The paraprofessionals would also like to express their gratitude to the community members who supported them during the negotiations.

"This contract settlement shows that workers can win double-digit raises when they come together in their union. It also shows that school districts can do better with their hourly workers than what we are hearing many other districts say at the bargaining table and in the media. After decades of our members falling behind financially, elected leaders need to take action to address the staffing crisis in our schools." said SEIU 284 Executive Director Kelly Gibbons."

SEIU 284 calls on school districts and the state legislature to raise starting pay to $25 an hour for all hourly school workers. The union and other school employee unions are advocating for an Education Support Professionals Bill of Rights to address the staffing crisis amongst hourly school workers. Low wages for these workers have resulted in many job openings and high turnover in these critical roles for student success.

The ESP Bill of Rights would provide direct state funding to school districts to raise starting wages to $25 an hour, mandate affordable health insurance levels, and require paid training for all hourly workers in public schools."