UPDATE, MAY 18, 12PM: The rally has been cancelled, as UE Local 119 settled their contract with ESS this morning.

When: Wednesday, May 18, 5pm-7pm
Where: Winslow Township Middle School, 30 Cooper Folly Rd, Atco, NJ

For more information contact:
Tara McCauley, UE International Representative
217-369-5407 | tara.mccauley@ueunion.org [1]

On Wednesday, May 18th, from 5pm to 7pm, Winslow Township School District paraprofessionals will rally for fair wages and benefits. The rally will be held at the middle school where the school district administration is located. 

“It’s very hard when we don’t get paid livable wages,” said Heather James, Teacher Assistant and UE Local 119 President. “The cost of living went up, plus we need to pay rent and have food on the table. We should not have to work two and three jobs to make ends meet. We help run our schools - the schools don’t and won’t work unless we do. The school district needs to fund wage increases, paid time off, and benefits for ESS workers in their budget plan.”

Winslow paraprofessionals are contracted out to a private contractor, ESS. All of the contractor’s funding for the staff comes directly from the school district. The school district sets specific wage rates for the paraprofessionals in its annual request for bids. The school district hasn’t provided an increase in funding for wages since 2020, and it does not provide any funding for employee benefits or paid time off.

Winslow paraprofessionals are represented by the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), Local 119. The workers organized their union in 2019, and they are in their second round of union contract negotiations with ESS. Although the school workers negotiate with the contractor, all of the contractor’s funding for their wages and benefits comes directly from the Winslow Township School District. The only way that the paraprofessionals can secure better wages and benefits is if the school district provides enough funds for ESS to pass through to the workers.

The United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) is a democratic national union representing tens of thousands of workers in a wide variety of manufacturing, public sector and private service-sector jobs.

For more information visit https://locals.ueunion.org/119/ [2]

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