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Custodians and classified staff urge bargaining rights; speakers tell Olathe board workplace conditions are driving turnover
Summary
Multiple custodians, paraprofessionals and Olathe NEA representatives urged the board to grant bargaining rights to custodial and classified staff, citing understaffing, safety concerns and low pay; the board said roundtable conversations with classified staff are continuing.
Dozens of classified employees, including custodians, paraprofessionals and union leaders, used the board’s public-comment period to ask the Olathe School Board to grant bargaining rights for custodial staff and to expand collective-bargaining participation for other classified employees.
Speakers described custodial duties, staffing levels and working conditions. Amber Grant, a paraprofessional who identified herself as working for the district, and several custodians detailed winter snow-removal work and building maintenance responsibilities, saying the work sometimes exposed staff to hazardous conditions. A group of custodians from Olathe South described years of service and said custodial work requires experience and specialized skills.
Custodians who spoke urged the board to recognize custodians as a bargaining unit and to give classified staff a seat at the table to address pay, working conditions and inconsistent procedures across buildings. Angie Powers, president of Olathe NEA, said granting bargaining rights to custodians in the 2025–26 school year would allow the district and staff to design a tailored bargaining process.
Several speakers noted that classified employees are often short-staffed, living with limited sick leave, and sometimes leave for better-paying jobs. Paraeducators and other classified staff said they perform instructional and assessment-related work—reading interventions, test administration and IEP support—and that the district needs to improve pay and stability to retain experienced staff.
Board members and the superintendent acknowledged the comments and reminded the audience that classified-staff roundtables have continued since last summer. Superintendent Dr. Yeager said the district will continue conversations with classified staff, human resources and administration; several board members said further discussions with staff representatives are planned.
Speakers requesting bargaining rights did not propose specific contract terms at the meeting; their remarks focused on workplace conditions, staffing, and the request that custodians be allowed to bargain collectively with Olathe NEA.
