La Farge ESP Bargaining Team Honored

The La Farge Educational Support Personnel bargaining team has won WEAC's 2000 Paul Bierbrauer Award for excellence in bargaining.

The team displayed "an intense commitment" and collegiality in reaching a settlement for a three-year contract for 1999-2002, according to Coulee Region United Educators Director Gerald Roethel, who nominated the four-person team. It was the initial contract between the district and the union, which represents custodians, para-educators and cooks.

The award was presented during the WEAC Statewide Collective Bargaining Conference November 3-4 in Madison.

Lynda Fish, Audrey Clift, John Madden Jr., and Marge Strait included membership in the process through surveys and meetings, Roethel wrote in his nomination.

"They admirably represented the diverse interests of all the classifications and new and experienced employees in obtaining an excellent initial collective bargaining agreement," Roethel wrote.

One of the problem areas involved failure of the district to provide health insurance for the bus drivers, para-educators and cooks.

"The bargaining team was able to overcome this lack in benefits by designing a bifurcated benefit program that applied to all bus drivers, new para-educators, and new cooks," Roethel wrote. "This solution exempted the experienced cooks and experienced para-educators from the health insurance coverage because each of these employees already had personal alternatives to the health insurance program.

"The new contract provides for a three-year phase-in for full single or 50% family contributions on behalf of these employees. Establishing a benefit program that provides for health insurance contributions of over $3,500, when in the prior policy none existed, is a significant achievement."

In addition to pay increases of $1.20 to $2.00 per hour over the term of the contract, the agreement includes normal contractual provisions of:

• Just cause.
• Seniority-based layoff.
• Seniority-based transfers within a classification.
• Expanded vacation time.
• Improved leave provisions.
• Additional pay for Saturday, Sunday and holiday work.
• Fair share.
• The union's right to grieve.

"During the process of bargaining the first contract, the team presented itself in a calm and decisive manner reflecting an intense commitment in achieving a good contract," Roethel wrote. "All four team members live within the community and are well regarded by the community. These attributes certainly helped the bargaining team achieve a successful contract."

Conference agenda and workshops

Posted November 3, 2000