100 Morgan Local School non-teaching employees have given their 10-day notice to strike with the state employment relations board. This includes bus drivers, classroom and health aides, mechanics, maintenance workers, food service employees and secretaries.
The workers, members of Local 51 of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees said if they can’t resolve their dispute over wages with the employer they are prepared to strike on March 1.
Tom Quaintance a bus driver for the district and president of Local 51 said that they began negotiations last May, but almost immediately were met an impasse.
Local 51 is asking for wage increases of 6 percent over the first year of the contract and 5 percent the next two years.
Quaintance said Morgan employees make anywhere from $1 to $9 less than those in surrounding districts depending on the job classification and are paying 20 percent more annual for their health insurance over the last two years. He said that’s as much as $763 more annually.
The Ohio Association of Public School Employees are assisting the union with negotiations.
Morgan Local Superintendent Dr. Kristin Barker said they are disappointed by the union’s intent to strike. She said they offered a total raise package of over 10 percent over three years, $1 in year one, 60 cents in year two and 50 cents in year three. Dr. Barker said that’s above the 2.3% per year average wage increase reported by the State Employee Relations Board for classified employees.
Dr. Barker said the district will conduct remote learning for the first three days of the strike. They will maintain all regular programs and activities with the exception of busing, lunch will be provided at the school and they will have contracted security services to assure a safe environment for students and staff.
