U-46 Food service workers' contract approved

Food service employees in Elgin Area School District U-46 officially have a new three-year deal.

The school board last week approved the contract reached after five months of negotiations between the district and the 150-member Service Employees International Union Local 73.

Under terms of the contract, food service workers will receive 3.8-percent raises this year. Increases in the second and third years are tied to the rate of inflation, and could be between 2 and 5 percent.

First-year U-46 cooks would start at $13.91 per hour this year; bakers $13.28. Beginning assistant cooks will be paid $11.81 per hour. Food service technicians start at $11.57.

The new contract prohibits union members from striking or engaging in work slowdowns or stoppages during the three-year period. All food service workers who work 600 or more hours are eligible for retirement benefits. Wayne Lindwall, the union's division director, said negotiating some of the language in the contract was tougher than agreeing on wages.

"Just cause" was defined more specifically than in previous contracts; as were terms of summer work and overtime.

A four-year teacher's contract and a four-year transportation workers' contract were both reached last year after more than a year of negotiations and several sessions with federal mediators.

School district attorney Pat Broncato called the negotiations a collaborative process.

Lindwall agreed.

"With the unions starting to stand up for themselves, it seems like U-46 is starting to realize the unions are a force to be (reckoned) with," he said.

Raises, which will be effective next month, will be retroactive through June.