Hundreds rally for Rockford school support staff

For the third time in as many months, support staff at Rockford Schools District #205 took their fight for a fair contract directly to the school board – and the public.

Paraprofessionals, nutrition services staff members and bus drivers have enlisted the support of the community as they work to a secure a contract that includes fair wages and affordable health care and that values the services they provide to children in the community.

Each successive protest has seen turnout increase, not only from the members of AFSCME locals 692, 1275 and 3210, but also from a lengthy list of allies including teachers and state and county workers.

The most recent meeting on Aug. 13 saw hundreds of employees and allies turn out. The workers’ campaign is also getting attention from local media, including TV outlets (videos below) and the Rockford Register Star, which reported that:

Wages and health care costs are at the heart of the conflict between district leaders and union employees. Starting wage for paraprofessionals is $9.53 an hour, union representatives said. For bus drivers, it’s $10.51. AFSCME members told board members that those aren’t livable wages.

Staff members have taken the fight public after a year of bargaining and five years without a raise.

While the Board of Education is the employer, board members have so far been absent from negotiations, leaving the work to lawyers and highly-paid consultants. School district administrators have also terminated the previous contract instead of extending it and have tried – unsuccessfully – to turn the public against union members.

Both sides are now meeting with a federal mediator to attempt to work out an agreement. As those talks continue, support staff will continue to put pressure on school board members to live up to their responsibility to the district’s children and its employees.