Newly Unionized New Lenox D122 Support Staff Lock In Contract

NEW LENOX, IL — After months of contract negotiations as a newly formed union, New Lenox District 122 support staff have locked in a three-year contract, approved by the district's board at a Dec. 17 meeting.

It was New Lenox Professional Support Staff Council's (IFT Local 604) first time at the bargaining table, after support staff filed to unionize in May 2024. Negotiations began in August; at the crux was a proposed increase to staff's insurance premiums. A small raise offered combined with the higher premiums would ultimately mean a pay cut, staff said. New Lenox District 122 support staff of 155 includes paraprofessionals, library aides, school nurses, clerical staff, and custodians.

As negotiations stretched on for months, staff rallied outside the district's administration building ahead of the Board of Education's Nov. 19 meeting. It was a turning point, said Rachel Tuley, president of the New Lenox Professional Support Staff Council of the Illinois Federation of Teachers Local 604.

"When we rallied up at the district office, we were kind of at the point where we didn’t think we were getting close enough together in what we wanted, and in what the administration wanted to give us," she said.

Parents standing in support at the rally and that night's meeting proved an essential point, she said.

"Having the New Lenox parents supporting us, was a really, really big incentive," she said. "I think that that was the push that made the board really realize how important that support staff is to their schools."

Critical points in the group's talks focused on increased insurance premiums amid slight raises.

"Our huge issue was that the insurance prices were going to change, and so much so that most of the support staff was either going to be treading water, or below what they were making before," Tuley said.

"That was one thing we could all agree on, that we did not want anybody below."

Additionally, they sought more paid time off or sick days for paraprofessionals, as many spend days home with their own sick children, with little time left if they, too, become ill.

"We had 10 days that we were taking literally off all 10 days for our kids’ sicknesses, and then we would be sick as dogs," Tuley said.

Talks among the council were involved, and required they listen and take into consideration the needs of different roles, Tuley said.

"It was a very long, drawn-out process, that I don’t think any of us knew what we were getting into," said Tuley, who is a paraprofessional at Arnold J. Tyler Elementary.

The finalized contract secured raises that make up for a 4.3 percent increase in insurance, locked in at 6 percent, 5.3 percent and 5 percent over the next three fiscal years, according to district documents.

It also grants three additional PTO days for paraprofessionals, specifically, Tuley said.

Additionally, it set minimum tier wage rates based on years of service. If after the 6 percent raise, an existing employee’s wage was still below the new minimums, the employee was adjusted up to the new established minimum, according to the district.

"Now we can reward longevity, reward people who have been here longer," Tuley said. "That tier system, we fought for that."

Tuley is a graduate of D122 schools, as is her daughter. Her son currently attends Bentley School.

"It’s very close to my heart," Tuley said. "I want those kids to see familiar faces. It’s so important to see familiar faces, and to trust, and feel safe."

In approving the contract Tuesday, Superintendent Dr. Lori Motsch applauded the council's work.

"The Board of Education is pleased to announce the successful completion of a new contract for the New Lenox Professional Support Staff Council, achieved through a shared vision of utilizing available resources to provide a competitive compensation package," Motsch said in a statement. "The District will continue to value and appreciate its support staff by prioritizing fair wages, maintaining fiscal responsibility, and fostering a supportive environment through open communication and recognition of their vital contributions."

Tuley said she's feeling accomplished and proud.

"I am so happy with our contract, I also am very happy with the board and administration's decision," she said. "We’re very amicable, we get along very well.

"... We got really far, and I think that we still have some work to do. I think that administration and us are going to get along very well. We already are—we’re working well together."