2UrbanGirls,
Thank you in advance for any attention you can bring to this cause. The Classified staff, represented by Teamsters Local 911, has made repeated attempts to engage in negotiations with IUSD Management representatives. However, the response has been an unwillingness to provide a livable wage to staff members.
Furthermore, the district has justified offering a zero percent increase, while simultaneously creating new job titles for individuals within their inner circle. This behavior, which has persisted for an extended period of time, is deeply concerning.
Recently, the staff voted to join the Teamsters around 2020-2021 in order to address the wage inequality present within IUSD. It has come to our attention that the district pays its management an average of 20% more than neighboring successful school districts. In contrast, the Classified staff has been consistently informed that their positions offer the lowest pay in the county, and possibly even the state. Moreover, the district has regularly combined job responsibilities without providing fair compensation.
Due to the district’s reluctance to offer candidates a fair market value for their work, positions remain unfilled, as the district prioritizes cost-cutting over attracting qualified individuals. As a result, many of our employees are forced to work multiple jobs in order to support their families. Remarkably, even employees on 9-month contracts are eligible for food stamps. This distressing reality is one that we are actively striving to change, as we believe it is crucial for employees to continue their dedicated service to IUSD while adequately providing for their own children. This includes custodians, bus drivers, maintenance workers, and food service personnel, who play a vital role in supporting the education and well-being of our students.
In light of these circumstances, the Classified staff respectfully requests that the district address the following question: if there is a genuine lack of funds, why has IUSD not considered implementing pay cuts for management?
IUSD employee
