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SCHENECTADY
Nurses, secretaries in city school district get pact through 2011
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    A two-year fight over how many hours city school district secretaries and nurses must work has been resolved in a new contract that lets the secretaries keep their current hours but has the nurses working more.
    The nurses and secretaries, who form one union bargaining group, had declared impasse because the school district wanted no raises for two years and the additional hours of work.
    In the end, the district agreed to one year without raises. Secretaries were allowed to continue their 7-hour and 7.5-hour schedules, but nurses accepted a 30-minute longer work day in exchange for slightly more pay.
    The contract was approved by the nurses and secretaries on Tuesday night, and accepted by the school board Wednesday.
    The secretaries and nurses will get no raises for 2008, when their last contract ended. They will get 3 percent raises this year and next year.
    But for 2009, the secretaries will get $650 each. The nurses, who agreed to work longer days, will get $2,900. The nurses will also get $2,650 this year, in addition to their raises. They will work seven hours a day, plus a 30-minute lunch.
    “The nurses were definitely compensated for the extra time they work,” union President Louise Siler said.
    She’s a secretary for the curriculum coordinator’s offi ce.
    Secretaries far outweigh nurses in the union — 68 to 24. Two certified occupational therapy assistants are also in the union. ..................>>>>.................>>>>....................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01904&AppName=1