Speech, therapy and school administrative staff press committee for ‘livable wage’ during public comment

Members of Fall River Public Schools’ related-service and administrative staff used the school committee’s public-comment period on Jan. 13 to press for faster, fairer contract settlements and higher pay for smaller bargaining units.

Speakers repeatedly framed the contract talks as a student-service and retention issue. “We are asking for a livable wage,” said Sharon Viera, who identified herself as a speech-language paraprofessional (SLPA) employed by Fall River Public Schools and a member of Unit B. Viera described a caseload of about 55 students, often with “highly involved” needs, and said staff are handling multiple jobs to make ends meet.

The nut graf: dozens of district educators and related-service providers — speech, occupational and physical therapy aides, school administrative managers (SAMs) and classroom staff — told the committee that low wages and heavy caseloads are harming their ability to prepare materials, run therapeutic sessions and maintain continuity for special-education students. They asked the committee and the superintendent to prioritize equitable offers for the smaller bargaining units who have not yet reached agreements.

Daniel Pino, a physical therapist assistant, urged the committee to “be positive, be creative and think out of the box,” noting that 32 Unit B members provide services that would be markedly reduced if the district lost a single full-time therapist. Josh Lopater, speaking as a Unit A educator, said his bargaining team’s tentative agreement shows the district can make deals and called on the committee to bring the same offers to Unit B and Unit C members. Alexis Bernius, a SAM, described the daily responsibilities of high-school administrative managers and said those staff similarly need pay that reflects long hours and extra duties.

Committee members acknowledged the claims and asked the superintendent and bargaining representatives to brief the full committee and provide additional data on comparative pay and on how overtime and extra-duty rates are applied across job categories. Committee members also discussed whether nonteacher employees who perform the same after-hours tasks as teachers should receive the same hourly pay when performing identical duties (e.g., ticket collection at athletic events).

Ending: The speakers and committee members agreed to continue bargaining and for the administration to provide additional details: payroll comparisons, how after-hours rates are applied across units, and information about vacancy coverage costs. Several public speakers said they would attend upcoming bargaining sessions and that staff intended to keep pushing publicly until smaller bargaining units reach comparable terms.