OSEA and district reach tentative agreement
After more than 12 hours of mediation on Oct. 26, OSEA Chapter 124 and the Central School District reached a tentative agreement on a 2-year contact. The union and district have been negotiating since March.
"I think both teams showed up ready to work and ready to compromise in what we are all trying to accomplish toward our work environment and student growth and achievement," Superintendent Jennifer Kubista said, noting that many hard conversations took place along the way.
Joanne Divan, OSEA Chapter 124 president added that she appreciated the hard work both teams put in to reach an agreement.
"Finding a constructive path forward required a lot of effort from everyone involved," she noted. "I value the professional relationship we maintained throughout the process.
The new contract, which will go before the classified members for ratification next week, will provide a strong compensation package, which includes insurance, a cost-of-living increase, an increase in the pay for each step, and also adds an additional step. Mrs. Divan added that the new contract strengthens foundational protections for classified workers, provides clearer guidelines and greater peace of mind regarding positions and assignments.
"In this contract, I am looking forward to seeing the practical, positive impact these improvements will have on the daily lives and morale of our classified staff," Mrs. Divan said.
Dr. Kubista noted that the overall contract will increase retention and shows our classified staff how valued they are.
The compensation package is for the 2026-27 school year, and will be negotiated in Spring for the 2027-28 school year.
Before the contract officially takes effect, it must go through a formal approval process called ratification. The union will distribute the tentative agreement to all eligible members, host informational meetings to answer questions, and hold a secret ballot vote. Ratification requires a simple majority of voting members to pass.
Once the union membership votes to approve, the contract is given to the CSD Board of Directors to review and approve.