A sea of red Summit County Education Association shirts poured into a recent Summit School District meeting with a request for the Board of Education: allow non-licensed support staff to unionize. 

Dozens of bus drivers, custodians, paraprofessionals and other non-licensed support staff formally approached the board at Sept. 18 meeting seeking to become a bargaining unit for the sake of negotiating higher wages. Several staff members in roles across the district spoke to the value they and their colleagues contribute to the district and provided more reasoning behind their plea. For many, it came down to being paid enough to stay in the jobs they love. 

“We’re asking for recognition of collective bargaining because we consider that only through a union contract can we ensure that our commitment is permanently respected,” bus driver Irma Gutiérrez said through a translator. 

Through a translator, Gutierrez said she had been with the district around eight years. She said she spoke at the meeting to defend non-licensed support staff and advocate for the same rights and dignity that teachers have through their union and the Summit County Education Association. She said her job at times comes with risk, referencing driving in winter weather events and on roads in poor condition. She added with the high cost of living, many of her coworkers live in neighboring communities like Alma or Fairplay. She said during the more treacherous winter weather event some of those coworkers have had to pull over to the side of the road and stay there into the late hours of the night. 

Helen Moorman, a permanent sub for food service at all schools and Summit School District employee of 22 years, followed Gutierrez’s speech. Moorman spent a year as a helper and 21 years as a kitchen manager. She said her team is responsible for keeping kitchens clean, ensuring kids are fed and maintaining equipment. 

“One of the most frustrating things we have going on is that we are the lowest paid of all the support staff as far as our starting pay, and it’s very difficult to maintain or even get workers when the pay is so low,” she said. 

She said it’s frustrating being short staffed currently because some of her coworkers are putting in 10- to 12-hour days. 

“It’s really grueling, and it’s unacceptable,” she said. “We cannot keep up that rate.”

Summit Middle School attendance secretary Naomi McMahon shed light on what people in positions like hers do for the district. She said her position involves a focus on student attendance, maintaining accurate records, managing school visitor background checks and enacting protocols like evacuations, when needed. Her position plays a key communication role and is one that will step in when help is needed, like administering medicine when the health team is unavailable or supervising lunches. She said around 75% of support staff in the district indicate support for a union. 

Other support staff positions include: maintenance technicians, HVAC technicians, family liaisons, precollegiate liaisons technology support specialists, health clinic assistants, instructional paraprofessionals, special education paraprofessionals, health paraprofessionals and early childhood paraprofessionals.

Social studies teacher and Summit County Education Association President Joe Kassay also spoke briefly at the meeting showing his and the association’s support. 

Board of education members expressed their gratitude for support staff members and recalled support staff members that made a difference in their education while in school. Board member Vanessa Agee said she’s seen the positive impact Summit’s support staff has in students’ experience through their interactions with her own daughter, noting “she wouldn’t be successful without all of you.”

Board president Conseulo Redhorse said funding “always seems to be a limiting factor,” but said she recognized the contributions support staff makes to the district. 

Support staff members seeking to unionize asked the board to decide on the matter at their next meeting on Thursday, Oct. 6. Board members said they will likely need more time to make a decision based on policies. 

The board went into an executive session at the Sept. 18 meeting, and Superintendent Tony Byrd said he was directed to form a policy that would help outline the process for unionizing. 

“The Board has made no decision on unionization other than that,” an email from communications director Kerstin Anderson said in response to a request about whether the district would support the unionization effort.