(August 10, 2021) The Rochester City School District has reached a collective bargaining agreement with members from the Board of Education Non-Teaching Employees (BENTE). This is a three-year successor agreement to the current collective bargaining agreement, effective July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2024. Negotiations began in March of 2021, and the three-year agreement includes:
• A minimum 3% wage increase each year, retroactive to July 1, 2021.
• Paying a more competitive, living wage to help ensure recruitment and retention
• Salary increases from $12.50/hr. to $15.00/hr. as of July 1, 2021.
Superintendent Lesli Myers-Small said, “This successor agreement with BENTE is an important step in ensuring our support staff: clerical, custodial, food service, maintenance, sentries, and transportation staff are better cared for. We are proud to offer a minimum $15 per hour! These team members have been here for our children and families through two of the most challenging academic years in our lives. It's vital to the health and well-being of our community that our support staff is compensated to better support their families."
BENTE President Dan DiClemente said, "we are pleased to reach an agreement with the District that affords frontline workers a livable wage, bringing them all up to a minimum of $15 an hour. This agreement also recognizes the need to increase the wages of members who work in critical areas that have been difficult to staff due to a worker shortage. It illustrates a committment from the Superintendent and the Board of Education to recognize the vital services our members provide to the children who attend city schools."