Phoenix-Talent SD gives mid-year raise to classified employees
March 7, 2022
PHOENIX ― In an effort to maintain and attract high-quality staff the Phoenix-Talent School District worked with the classified staff union – Oregon School Employee Association Chapter 96 - to rework the district’s pay structure and increase wages for all classified support staff by $1 to $2 per hour on average.
Negotiations took place in December and the new deal was hammered out before the end of the month so raises would be reflected in January’s paychecks. The Phoenix-Talent School District has 143 classified employees working positions such as custodian, band assistant, secretary, bilingual assistant, groundskeeper and electrician.
“Phoenix-Talent has prioritized building a collaborative culture of teamwork between administrators and staff so that the staff has a voice and feels valued,” Phoenix-Talent Superintendent Brent Barry said. “This approach has led to lower-than-average turnover and higher staff morale as every member of our team feels invested in taking on these challenging times together.”
As with all school districts currently, attracting new staff has been a challenge for Phoenix-Talent SD due to nationwide worker shortages, rising costs of living and rising private sector pay that is outpacing what most districts pay their classified school support staff.
In most school districts, wages typically aren’t adjusted mid-year because they are set every few years during contract negotiations with school staff unions in the spring or summer. According to Barry and OSEA Chapter 96 president Christie Sanders, the district decided that a proactive approach was the best way to maintain and attract a high-quality classified staff, leading to the mid-school year pay raises.
These pay increases will make starting wages for classified staff among the most competitive in the Rogue Valley, which has administrators feeling optimistic that a boost in applications may be on the horizon.
Click here to visit the district’s employment page or here to see the list of current job openings.
For more information or to set up interviews, contact communications specialist Joe Zavala at: joe.zavala@phoenix.k12.or.us, 541-535-1517 or call/text 541-821-0829.
