GFPS board approves new contract with Craft Council employees
The Great Falls Public Schools board on Monday unanimously approved a three-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the craft council members.
The contract with a bargaining group made up of about 20 employees called the Craft Council expired on June 30, 2021. The group is made up of electricians, carpenters, painters, plumbers, and operating engineers of local 400. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers — Local 233, Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters - United Brotherhood of Carpenters, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 82, Local 260 and Plumbers and Fitters, and International Union of Operating Engineers Local 200 — Local 400 combined to create the Craft Council.
The union members voted for a new three-year deal agreement which will expire June 30, 2024. The salary settlement includes a 2% increase for 2021-2022, a 1.5% increase for 2022-2023, and a 2% increase for 2023-2024 for the Craft Council Employees according to the school board meeting agenda.
The finalized CBA will be available on the District’s website.
The approximate base salary budget for this group was $877,000 for the 2020-2021 school year.
A change to an increase on the base salary schedule for the Craft Council Employees for the 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024 fiscal years result in approximate base salary budgets as follows from the board meeting agenda:
2021-2022: $894,007
2022-2023: $907,417
2023-2024: $925,565
"Additionally, the increase in the stipend for the foreman positions of $0.17/hour in each of the five associated unions will result in an annual increase of $1770. The increase to the health insurance contribution for crafts 29 selecting their individual union’s health plan is variable and will depend on which crafts elect to choose this insurance instead of the District’s plan. The annual increase amounts will be considered for the budgets of the respective budget years", as stated by the board meeting agenda.
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: board of trustees unanimously approved the request to ratify the three-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Craft Council mem
