JCPS custodians rally to keep 'life-changing' pay increase
Jefferson County school board members face another tough decision as the district's custodians and plant operators seek their support to keep a raise they were given during the pandemic.
Since 2020, the Jefferson County Public Schools' custodial staff have been paid an extra $3.50 an hour thanks to American Rescue Plan funds, but that payment is set to expire at the end of June. About two dozen staff members gathered outside JCPS' Van Hoose Center ahead of Tuesday's board meeting for a rally organized by the 32BJ SEIU union, which represents 415 district custodians.
"We are the reason why our children have clean and safe learning environments," said Jonathan Ward, a custodian at Shawnee for the past eight years.
The additional hourly pay, he continued, "has been life-changing."
Maryland Anderson, who has worked for JCPS for nearly 17 years, said that in the time since the pay bump was given, the cost of living has increased substantially. The additional pay is enough to cover two of her bills each month, she said. For her, the loss would equate to a $7,000 decrease in her annual pay, she said.
Most custodians earn between $18 and $25 an hour.
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While Anderson said she intends to stay with the district, she said many of her colleagues have said they will move on if their pay decreases.
"They will lose a lot of people," Anderson said.
It is unclear whether the district can or will add the pay increase into its upcoming budget.
"The simple answer is we don’t know yet," JCPS spokesman Mark Hebert said Tuesday afternoon. Negotiations on behalf of multiple unions representing JCPS employees will begin soon, he said.
Contact Krista Johnson at kjohnson3@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: JCPS custodians rally to keep raise given with COVID relief funds
