Salem-Keizer Public Schools and ASK ESP Reach Tentative Agreement on Classified Staff Contract

Below is a joint statement from Salem-Keizer Public Schools and the Association of Salem Keizer Education Support Professionals.

Salem-Keizer Public Schools and the Association of Salem Keizer Education Support Professionals began the bargaining process for a new classified collective bargaining agreement in April. The bargaining teams have spent these past 10 months listening, advocating, collaborating, and problem-solving for the benefit of our staff, students, and school system.

Tentative Agreement on Three-Year Contract

We are pleased to announce that the parties have reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract for classified staff.

This new contract tells education support professionals here in Salem-Keizer that our jobs are valuable and respected. With critical investments in wages and benefits, and improved safety language, today’s contract goes a long way to address the core issues our members have shared with us during this contract negotiation, and more. While there is still work to be done, every ASK ESP member should be proud of their unwavering commitment to the work they did to reach this monumental contract. 

ASK ESP President Edie Buchanan

We could not run schools without classified staff and this contract recognizes their importance to our schools, students, and community. On behalf of the school board and district, we are pleased to provide a contract that honors and values our classified staff. This three-year contract is valued at almost $73 million over three years. In reaching this, we prove that it is possible to reach fair contracts even in dire economic conditions. We accomplished this by prioritizing our shared interests over our differences and working hard together until we achieved our goal. 

SKPS Superintendent Andrea Castañeda

Contract Highlights

The contract, which is now pending ratification by association members, contains the following highlights:

• A one-time retention bonus of $5,000 for full-time eligible staff within 10 days of ratification
• A 14.75% salary increase over the next three years of the contract
  • 7% in year 1 retroactive to July 1, 2023
  • 3.75% in year 2
  • 4% in year 3
• An additional $100 per month toward insurance costs in the current year, an additional $40 per month in the second year, and an additional $25 per month in the third year
• Additional opportunities for earnings for bilingual staff and essential personnel
• An increase in paid breaks, improvements in safety and protection against loss of pay
• A faster timeline for earning more vacation time

Thank You Classified Employees

We thank our classified employees for their continued dedication to our students, to our district, and to our community.

Andrea Castañeda, Superintendent
Salem-Keizer Public Schools

Edie Buchanan, President
Association of Salem Keizer Education Support Professionals