Jeanné Collins
Superintendent of Schools, Burlington

Thomas Fleury Collins
Burlington School Board

Karl Labounty
AFSCME

BURLINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNOUNCES SETTLED CONTRACTS FOR SCHOOL PROPERTY SERVICE, FOOD SERVICE AND BUS DRIVERS

PHASES IN LIVABLE WAGE OVER FOUR YEARS

May 7, 2008
The Burlington Schools and AFSCME union leaders are pleased to announce settled contracts for Property Services, Food Services and Bus Drivers that phases in a livable wage over four years.

With livable wages a commitment in the negotiation process, the contract for food services will increase 3.2% in the current year, and an average of 14.8% over the next three years. This will bring starting pay for Food Service workers to $15.23 an hour without benefits by the final year of the contract. Property Service employees will average 4.09% over the four year contract, with a focus of pay increases on the lower end of the salary scale. The Bus drivers and aides, who already make a livable wage, will receive slightly over a 3% increase over the four years. Livable wage is defined slightly higher for employee groups without benefits than those groups with benefits.

Board Chairman Thomas Fleury noted that the commitment to livable wages is a strong value in our community and the Board listened carefully to the community input on this goal. "Phasing in livable wages is a reasonable way to achieve the goals of providing appropriate compensation to our valued employees, while being fiscally responsible in our budgeting. We are pleased this agreement can meet the goal of livable wages for all Burlington Schools employees."

The lead negotiator for the AFSCME bargaining units, Karl LaBounty agreed. "This has been a long and thoughtful process and everyone has worked very hard to achieve the goal of livable wages for all employees."

The Burlington community has advocated for livable wages in the schools in order to reduce the reliance of Burlington school employees on public assistance. The city of Burlington has had a Livable Wage ordinance in place for several years.

A livable wage has been defined as the hourly wage or annual income sufficient to meet and individual or family's basic needs plus all applicable federal and state taxes. It is adjusted for benefits received.

The City of Burlington adopted a livable wage in 1998 and expanded it to include contractual employees in 2004. This year, the city's hourly rate for city employees is $12.95 with benefits and $13.94 without benefits; contracted employees with health care benefits must be paid $13.94 an hour and those without health care benefits $15.83 an hour.

Since 2001, the state has provided an estimated cost of basic needs and the equivalent livable wage, updating those figures in odd-numbered years.