The West Aurora School District board recently approved a new contract that includes a pay raise with the transportation union that represents bus drivers, monitors and mechanics in the district.
The four-year contract is between the West Aurora Transportation Union Service Employees Union International Local 73 and the West Aurora Board of Education. The agreement, which covers approximately 100 employees, is effective retroactively to July 1, 2024, and runs through June 30, 2028.
It is a new agreement with minimal language changes from the previous contract, West Aurora School District Assistant Superintendent of Operations Angie Smith said.
“Our drivers, monitors and mechanics are a critical part of our team as they are the first and last people most of our students see. They ensure that our students arrive to school and home safely,” Smith said. “This contract acknowledges that responsibility and rewards their efforts. It helps to ensure that as a district, we are able to attract and retain the highest quality staff to serve our community.”
The expired agreement gave union members a $1 an hour increase to their compensation for the 2021-22 school year and a 2.9% pay hike in both 2022-23 and 2023-24.
“Because the expiring contract had been in place for several years, we needed to make significant adjustments to address inflation and the driver shortage which has driven wages higher,” Smith said. “That required a completely new salary schedule. On average, first-year hourly increases for those covered by this contract will be 8.6%. The second year they will receive a 6% increase. For the final two years of the contract, raises will be tied to inflation with a floor of 2.5% and a ceiling of 5%,” Smith said.
The contract is competitive, she said.
“This contract positions us as the leader for full-time district-operated transportation departments at $25.44 (an hour) for a brand-new driver,” Smith said.
She said there is a national shortage of bus drivers.
“We want to ensure that some of the struggles other districts have experienced with driver shortages don’t negatively impact our families. This contract will help us recruit and grow our team,” Smith said.
“It’s a very competitive environment for bus drivers,” she said. “We wanted to ensure that when people are looking, they come to us. We think this contract does this.”
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
