Representatives of five employee groups at the Anoka-Hennepin School District stood together in an informational picket Monday night outside the Anoka-Hennepin school board meeting, bearing signs insisting on "Fair Settlements for ALL Employees."

About 50 representatives from the school district's custodians, teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, interpreters and education support professionals participated.

Later, during the public comment period at the school board meeting, representatives from the five employee groups sat at a table together while Mike Brown, SEIU Local 284, read a statement on behalf of the group. "We all face similar obstacles when we engage in collective bargaining with the district administrative team," Brown said. He urged the school board "to establish new processes where labor and management work together on common goals."

"All of the employee groups have faced inequities when bargaining employee heath insurance," Brown continued. "The allocation of district resources for employee health benefits has brought about a Robin Hood in reverse situation in Anoka-Hennepin. Well-paid administrators at the district office receive 100 percent coverage of family health premiums out of district funds while lower-paid employees are forced to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for health premiums alone."

Members of the five employee groups at the Anoka-Hennepin Schools lined the walls of the school board meeting. Labor Review photo

As employees picketed before the school board meeting, Sandy Nouis, a special education paraprofessional, related that health insurance premiums take up almost one-half of her paycheck. "I was coming home with more money back in 1999 than I am now - because of insurance," she said. After working eight years for the district, she earns $12.85 per hour. She said some of her co-workers need to work second jobs.

SEIU Local 284 members recently voted to reject the school district's proposed contract. "The district doesn't have any policy in place to define how an employee advances other than when money is available," said Stan Hagen, one of three Local 284 stewards. He reported that Local 284 and the district now are in mediation to settle the contract.

The district's teachers, represented by Anoka-Hennepin Education Minnesota (AHEM), have reached a settlement with the district. Members will vote on the proposed contract December 7-8.

Teachers, however, were out in force Monday night to support the district's other employees.

"We're supporting our secretaries and custodians," said Dawn LeClaire, AHEM member and special education teacher at Blaine High School.

"They're very important people in our building," added Barb Rice, AHEM member who works at the career center at Blaine High School.

Among the school employees present for the informational picket were husband and wife Joe and Georgine Pogones. Georgine has worked 20 years for the district as a special education paraprofessional. Joe has worked 19 years for the district as a custodian. The couple's two children, now adults, attended the Anoka-Hennepin Schools.

"It's a good school district," Joe said. "They need to treat the employees better."

Steve Share edits the Minneapolis Labor Review, the official publication of the Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council. Visit the CLUC website, www.minneapolisunions.org

Husband and wife Joe and Georgine Pogones (above) have worked 19 years and 20 years respectivelly for the Anoka-Hennepin schools. Joe is a custodian and Georgine is a paraprofessional. Their two grown children went through the district schools. "It's a good school district," Joe said. "They need to treat the employees better." Turning out to support other school employees were teachers (below, from left to right) Deb Maaske, Barb Rice and Dawn LeClaire. Labor Review photos