PHOENIX — The Phoenix Union High School District governing board approved new economic packages for administrators, certified employees and support employees.
Certified employees include teachers and counselors, while support employees include roles like bus drivers and custodians.
People contributing to these negotiations told ABC15 they have been fighting so employees can have a livable wage.
“It’s going to be huge and it's life-changing dollars for my colleagues,” said the Corresponding Secretary for the Classified Employees Association Vanessa Jimenez.
She said employees were who they thought of as they went to negotiations for the third time this year. The group went back to the table after the state legislature approved more funding for the Phoenix Union High School District for employee salary increases.
“We were at $12.80,” said Jimenez. “Then we were going to $14.00 and now this will get us to $16.00.”
Teachers' starting salary on the updated plan. also increased to just over $52,000 a year.
The district told ABC15 they now anticipate their average teacher salary to be over $70,000.
“They have a really good package going tonight as well that was negotiated,” said Jimenez. “Part of the process is we all come to the table and support each other.”
Board members commented just before the vote, in support.
“I’m so proud that we've hit this milestone setting the bar for the rest of the state,” said Board Member Stephanie Parra.
Some members said they think another raise will be needed down the line.
“I think over the long term, as urgently as possible, we need to start a big conversation about how do we get to 20 dollars an hour for the lowest paid employees in the district,” said Board Member Aaron Marquez.
Thursday’s vote was unanimous, with the board voting on the packages as one item.
The starting teacher salary at Phoenix Union is much higher compared to state and national numbers.
According to the National Education Association, the average starting salary for teachers in Arizona was $40,500 in the 2020-2021 school year. The national average for that same school year was $41,700.
“We’ve been working really hard to meet with our employees and find out what they need. What they said was compensation as soon as possible,” said Chad Gestson, the superintendent of PXU. “What we did is we put as much money toward the beginning of the salary schedule as much as possible. All of our employees got more compensation. But if you’re toward the beginning of the salary schedule, those who need it most, they got the most.”
Chris Rooney, a career technology teacher at Central High School, said he didn’t switch to teaching four years ago for the money. Though he expected a “significant decrease” because he says it’s “part of the cost of becoming a teacher.”
“This is very welcomed. Very much appreciated by everyone here,” Rooney said.
Classified, non-certified staff are also getting a raise. Nisaj Nickolis, a student study facilitator at Central High School, said he’d be getting more than $2 an hour raise now.
“Just daily stuff, it costs so much. So, getting more money you know while you work is great, and the district helping you with everyday extremities and life is amazing. It takes off a load from your shoulder,” Nickolis said.
Gestson said it’s important to note that they’re not doing this to take educators from other districts. He said they also did it because they’re trying to attract people who want to become teachers as well as those who are in other industries and are thinking about switching careers.
“We know that staff is challenging across our entire state,” Gestson said. “What we do know though is employees who have left education, who have not tried education, have a heart for kids and the community. We want to attract and recruit and retain them.”
In addition to the raises, the district will be backing paying its staff with the new wages dating back to July.
“That’s actually quite unusual. I know with my experience in business, any time you make retroactive impacts to accounts, that’s quite a gesture,” Rooney said. “I don’t think it’ll be fully understood and appreciated by the general population. As a business teacher, I know what a big deal that is.”
