Edison keeps school crossing guards in house with significant pay raise
EDISON – After efforts last year to outsource the school crossing guard service to a private vendor failed, the township and the union representing the crossing guards have reached a four-year contract agreement that significantly increases their pay.
The township and AFL-CIO Local 32 have engaged in negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement for July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2027 which increases the crossing guards’ hourly pay by $7.50 to $26.50 and gives 3% increases in the next three years.
The Township Council unanimously approved the terms in the memorandum of agreement last week, which was previously ratified by the union.
The agreement includes a new provision for sick leave starting Jan. 1, 2025, in that it will not be paid in a lump sum, and it will not accumulate year over year. Employees will be eligible for sick leave at the rate of five days per calendar year.
More: NJ utilities board greenlights Comcast Xfinity service in Edison
Under the agreement, the crossing guards will receive holiday pay for any federal holiday that closes schools, except if the closure occurs during a closure of five consecutive days, such as the Christmas holiday during winter break.
Several council members said they were happy to see the agreement which keeps the crossing guards in town, rather than outsourcing them.
Councilman Joseph Coyle suggested the township maintain a backup list of crossing guards to ensure they are fully staffed at all times.
More: Edison paying $144K for website update after IT consultant councilman offers to do it free
Last year the township proposed outsourcing school crossing guards due to longtime staffing issues that resulted in police officers covering some posts at a significant cost to the township.
Edison was spending about $600,000 a year for crossing guards' salaries and about $200,000 for the police officers who filled in.
Council members decided to table plans to privatize the service just before the start of the 2023-24 school year after concerns were raised about using an out-of-state company and the unchanged rate of pay. The school year started with a mix of crossing guards and police officers manning posts at the district's two high schools, four middle schools, one intermediate school, 10 elementary schools and a preschool program.
Email: srussell@gannettnj.com
Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Edison NJ school crossing guards get significant pay raise
