MANCHESTER – On Monday night, the Board of School Committee approved tentative agreements on new contracts with five unions representing District employees, including teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, directors and coordinators, and administrative support staff. The contracts now move to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for approval.
The District began negotiations with all five unions this fall, with existing contracts set to expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on June 30, 2024. Superintendent Jennifer Chmiel Gillis said that the overarching focus for the District is on recruitment and retention of employees.
“I would like to thank the Board of School Committee for its support tonight of the tentative contract agreements, and I ask the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for its support,” Gillis said. “The current job market is extremely competitive, and these agreements will give us a leg up as we head into the hiring season early next year. This sends a clear message to our current staff that we value them and want them to stay, as well as to prospective staff that we are looking for the best. I'd like to thank all of those who worked so hard to settle these agreements.”
The unions that have reached tentative agreements with the District include:
- Paraprofessionals
- Association of Manchester Principals (Principals and Assistant Principals)
- Directors and Coordinators
- Manchester Education Association (Teachers)
- Manchester Education Support Personnel Association (Administrative staff)
Tentative agreements must be ratified by union members and approved by the Board of School Committee and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. With the school board’s ratification on Monday night, the agreements now go to the Aldermen for an initial vote on Tuesday, December 5.