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Classified staff leaders urge board to address contract after 'no' vote in negotiations
Summary
Paraeducators and classified employees told the board they voted against the district’s most recent tentative agreement and called for a fair contract that reflects their work; speakers said staff are underpaid and that the district has settled three other contracts this year.
Michelle Costanza, vice president of the PSE Wenatchee Association and a paraeducator in the district, told the board Tuesday that paraeducators, secretaries and professional‑technical staff remain in active negotiations with the district and have not reached agreement. “We have seen 3 contracts this district has settled this year, and the comparison speak for themselves,” Costanza said. “Our members are not asking for anything unreasonable, just a fair contract that reflects the hard work we already do.”
Liz Lewis, identified as president of the PSC Wenatchee Association and an IT employee with 26 years in the district, told the board that 84% of classified employees voted “no” on the last tentative agreement and said the result signals frustration with pay and working conditions. “Our members are sending a clear message. They are frustrated. They are overwhelmed, overworked, and feel undervalued,” Lewis said.
A para support staff speaker who identified herself as Caitlin Vinenberg described low pay for experienced paras: “At the end of the month, I receive $1,650. How are we supposed to live off of that?” she said, and said many classified employees take second jobs or leave the district for higher pay.
Why it matters: classified staff — the paraeducators, secretaries and professional‑technical employees who support day‑to‑day operations — described the dispute as both financial and relational: they asked the board to view the contract as recognition and an investment in students’ daily supports. Union leaders asked board members to speak with human resources for negotiation details.
Board response and next steps: remarks were delivered during the public‑comment portion of the Oct. 14 meeting; the board did not take immediate action at this meeting. Union leaders said they expect continued bargaining and asked the board to consider the comparisons between settlements for different employee groups.
