Members of AFSCME Local 3689, representing 100-plus paraprofessionals in the Killingly school system, are pleased with their new tentative agreement, which was unanimously approved by the Board of Education Dec. 15, 2021.

The new agreement raises wages by .75 cents an hour in the first year, .35 cents an hour in the 2nd year and .30 cents an hour in the final year. That translates into total wage increases of anywhere from 7.3% to 9.4% for Killingly paras, based on their years of service. The agreement also provides an extra paid holiday for 10-month employees in year 2, and holds the line on premium share increases.

AFSCME Local 3689 President Jennifer Wetherbee and Vice President Michelle Pion issued this statement after the Killingly Board of Education ratified a three-year collective bargaining agreement for school paraprofessionals on Dec. 15:

“We are pleased that our membership and now the Board of Education has ratified the new contract. We are proud of our members who collectively made their voices heard and were resilient throughout these difficult negotiations. As a result, we have an agreement that will improve retention by increasing compensation across the board for Killingly’s dedicated paraprofessionals.

“The new agreement is a definite step in the right direction. We want to stay with our students in  Killingly, but we also need to make ends meet and take care of our families. That’s what every worker wants and deserves.

“There is still serious work to be done to make sure Killingly schools are adequately staffed with paraprofessionals and are providing the full array of services our children deserve. We want to thank the Killingly community for their amazing support throughout our contract campaign. We look forward to working with the Board of Education to continue improving wage and working conditions so we can keep talented, dedicated paraprofessionals in our town.”

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 Contact:  Larry Dorman, AFSCME, [email protected] or 860-989-9127