Zee-Bee Newsflash
November 13, 2023
District 126 and Zion-Benton Professional Trades Union Reach a Tentative Agreement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13, 2023
CONTACTS
Cynthia Moreno, Executive Director of HR and Communications
cynthia.moreno@zb126.org
District 126 and Zion-Benton Professional Trades Union Reach
a Tentative Agreement
Lake County, IL – Zion-Benton Township High School District 126 and the Zion-Benton Professional Trades Union (Lake County Federation of Teachers, Local 504) successfully reached a tentative agreement this week after nearly four months of bargaining. This is the first collective bargaining agreement negotiated between the parties. The tentative agreement is a significant step towards maintaining an ongoing partnership and ensuring a positive future for Professional Trades staff and the School District.
"This tentative agreement is a successful partnership for District 126 as the parties listened to one another and agreed on areas for improvement,” said Dr. Jesse J. Rodriguez, Superintendent of Schools. “The agreement demonstrates the commitment of the Board of Education to all employees while maintaining and sustaining operational efficiencies for District 126."
Key highlights of the tentative agreement include agreements related to wages, benefits, working conditions, and other relevant matters.
“We are very pleased to announce that we’ve secured a tentative agreement,” said Shayne Bjorn, President of Zion-Benton Professional Trades Union. “It was truly a collaborative effort between our Union and the District, which shows in this settlement. Working together, we were able to secure important gains that will benefit employees and the district, including workplace equity and fair salary increases that reflect the value of our members’ work.”
“We appreciate the negotiating teams' hard work, dedication, commitment, and professionalism. We are proud to have worked alongside the Administration, Superintendent, and Board of Education to reach a tentative agreement that will benefit our maintenance and mechanics staff and the School District,” said Josh Gehrig, Director of Maintenance and Grounds, and Ms. Rita Maki, Director of Transportation. “The 13 individuals in this Union represent Zee-Bee pride and excellence in everything they do.”
The five-year tentative agreement will be presented to the District 126 Board of Education for final approval at its regular November meeting.
The Professional Trades Council of Zion-Benton represents 13 mechanics and maintenance and grounds workers in Zion-Benton Township High School District 126. The council is affiliated with the Lake County Federation of Teachers, which has 28 councils affiliated with the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT).
The IFT represents 103,000 teachers and paraprofessionals in PreK-12 school districts throughout Illinois, faculty and staff at Illinois’ community colleges and universities, public employees under every statewide elected constitutional officer, and retirees.
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Zion-Benton Township High School District 126
Our Mission:
To promote self-worth, social responsibility, and lifelong learning in partnership with our community.
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Nuestra misión:
Promover la autoestima, la responsabilidad social y el aprendizaje permanente en asociación con nuestra comunidad.
Website: https://www.zbths.org/
Location: Zion-Benton Township High School, West 21st Street, Zion, IL, USA
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