Novi Schools Food Service, Support Personnel Agree to Wage Freeze

Novi Community School District employees who work in food service or as support personnel have agreed to a wage freeze for the 2012-13 school year.

This past school year, both groups agreed to a contract with a one-year wage freeze, 1.5 furlough days, a payment of 15 percent toward their health care, and the chance to renegotiate salaries this year.

Both groups agreed to no salary increases or step raises. The contracts result in no additional cost to the district.

The Novi Board of Education approved the contracts at its meeting Thursday, and the associations ratified them this past week. Board member George Kortlandt and Vice President Dennis O'Connor both abstained from the vote on the support personnel contract since both their wives are employees in that group.

Negotiations with both groups were done by Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Bonnie Lobert and Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Steve Barr.

Representing the Novi Food Service Employees Association were MEA representative Kim Edwards and Association President Mary Abraham.

Representing the Novi Educational Support Personnel Association were Edwards and Novi Food Service Employees Association President Terri Kasik.

At the board's previous meeting two weeks ago, it approved a contract with Novi teachers that included a 1.33 percent pay cut for all teachers.