2-Year Wage Freeze Approved for North Canton City Schools

The North Canton City Schools Board of Education approved a new collective bargaining agreement that freezes compensation wages for the next two years at its Wednesday night meeting.

The contract, also agreed upon by the North Canton Education Association, replaces a collective bargaining agreement that would expire June 30.

According to a news release from the district, the new agreement’s terms include an option to extend the compensation freeze for a third year, if it’s mutually agreed upon.

“I could not be more proud of the negotiating teams who worked on this agreement,” Superintendent Michael Gallina said in a written statement. “In this current time in our profession, both economically and politically, this agreement reflects the professionalism and care that our staff has for its students and community.

“I am particularly proud of our staff’s work each and every day in their respective classrooms. We have a very special group of professionals. The negotiating team for this group reflected this same dedication, care for students and professional leadership.”

In the new contract is the formation of school-based decision-making teams. If one building’s administration and staff agree on a decision-making plan or educational option specific to their building, and that’s in conflict with current language in the contract, they may seek a waiver by vote of the building’s teachers and get approval from the association president and superintendent.

Todd Alkire, North Canton Education Association president, said in the release that it was important to keep the collaborative process intact when coming to this decision so the interests of the students and the economics of the North Canton community are not lost.

“Despite a volatile political climate and unprecedented deep financial cuts to Ohio public education, our recent agreement guarantees the continued academic excellence by the North Canton City School District.”