CCSD reaches $18M contract agreement with support staff union

The Clark County School District has reached a new contract agreement with the Employee Support Education Association, ending months of negotiations over pay increases and health insurance costs for the district’s roughly 12,000 support staff members.

The $18 million contract, which covers 2015 to 2017, ends the step freeze that prevented members from moving up the salary schedule and earning higher wages.

The contract includes two increases for this school year — a 1.125 percent raise in January and another 1.125 percent raise in April.

The district will also offer $50 more per month in its health insurance contribution, totaling $576.65 per employee per month, according to the district.

“The Board of School Trustees is pleased that with the assistance of the arbitrator, a resolution was reached that allows for the two sides to move forward and focus on providing the best education possible to our students,” district spokeswoman Michelle Booth said in a statement.

The deal ends negotiations that reached an impasse and headed to an arbitrator in October.

Guillermo Vazquez, executive director of the union, said support staff finally feel hope in the air.

“I’m ecstatic that most of the people, at least on social media, are getting the idea that this was a good, strong step forward,” he said. “We just need to keep on moving.”

Contact Amelia Pak-Harvey at 702-383-4630 or apak-harvey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AmeliaPakHarvey on Twitter.