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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Since We Asked Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend July 14, 2006 Education district staff to receive cost-of-living raise By Paris Achen Mail Tribune Support staff members with the Southern Oregon Education Service District will receive a 1 percent cost-of-living raise this year and a one-time 3 percent pay increase to bring salaries closer to those in comparable school districts and ESDs. Cost-of-living raises will be 1.5 percent in 2007-08 and 1.75 percent in 2008-09, according to the tentative agreement between the support staff union and the ESD. The ESD board approved the raises Wednesday. "We had three (ESD) secretaries apply for jobs in one of our school districts, and one of them got the job," said Steve Boyarsky, superintendent of the Southern Oregon ESD. "That's our concern, that we won't be able to attract and retain employees." The first pay hike will be effective retroactively to July 1 as soon as the 150-member support staff union ratifies the three-year employment contract. The union plans to mail out ratification ballots next week. It expects the contract to be ratified in the next six weeks, said union President Scott Phillips, an ESD electronics technician. A Southern Oregon ESD committee of administrators and support staff, also known as classified employees, concluded a salary review in May that showed pay in the ESD is generally lagging behind those in comparable school districts and ESDs. The ESD serves school districts in Jackson, Josephine and Klamath counties. The committee compared support staff salaries to those in Medford, Central Point, Grants Pass and Klamath Falls City school districts as well as Clackamas ESD, Lane ESD in Eugene and Linn-Benton-Lincoln ESD in Albany. Support staff positions range from maintenance custodians whose pay was about 25 percent lower than comparable districts to accounting clerks whose pay was lagging by about 19 percent. "A couple of job descriptions are a little higher, but most of them are below," Boyarsky said. ESD officials have not yet calculated precisely how much the pay increases will cost over the next three years. Figures are expected to be released next week. The ESD spent more than $4.2 million on support staff salaries in 2005-06. "The pay will be closer to what it should be, but it would have to be considerably more to bring it up to the cost of living in this area," Phillips said. But he said the tentative agreement is satisfactory in light of budget limitations. "It was a pleasant bargaining session, and I think both sides are comfortable with what transpired," he said. Reach reporter Paris Achen by calling 541-776-4459 or e-mail her at [email protected] . Advertisement s Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems California Casinos Men's Clothing Southern Oregon Loans --> GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Entertainment Guide --> Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews