Cobleskill-Richmondville support staffers are doing their part for C-R's 2012-13 budget.
The union, whose membership ranges from secretaries to bus drivers, approved a contract that calls for no pay raises next year.
Also recently approved by the school board, the contract calls for a two-percent raise this year, zero next year and two percent in 2013-14, according to Joanne Salerno, president of the Cobleskill-Richmondville Educational Support Personnel Association.
Contracts often call for raises every year, but union members recognized the financial predicament C-R is in.
"The majority of us live here in the district," Ms. Salerno said. "Our people had no problem saying, 'Let's help our community.' "
Next year's wage freeze is one factor that helped C-R keep its tax-levy increase at 4.54 percent in the adopted 2012-13 budget. School board President Bruce Tryon noted the union's help.
"This board appreciates the sacrifices put forth by the entire CRESPA unit by freezing their salaries for the upcoming year," he said.
Members voted 110-24 in favor of the contract. The unit has 170 members, and some were absent or didn't vote.
"It was overwhelming," Ms. Salerno said.
The new contract also freezes longevity increases and sick-leave buyouts, she said.
"Those little things mean a lot," Ms. Salerno said. "The whole unit stepped up. They're a great group of people."
The school district and the unit each had attorneys start negotiations. That didn't work, and they negotiated themselves--Ms. Salerno and Robin Hahn for CRESPA and Mr. Tryon and Superintendent Lynn Macan for the district.
"Those two women did a great job," Ms. Macan said. "They were really sincere about their desire to support the school district."
Ms. Salerno agreed that the negotiations went well.
"There was a high level of good faith, and we talked it out," she said. "The district's been fair to us."
The school board is also negotiating new contracts with the administrators' unit and the teachers' union. There's no indication how those pacts will affect salaries next year.
Administrators have had just one meeting with the board negotiators so far, President Bill Wolfanger said.
That unit has frozen salaries two of the past three years, he added.
"When we start talking those kinds of things will come up," Mr. Wolfanger said.
Tracy Smith, president of the Cobleskill-Richmondville Teachers' Association, said her union is "about in the middle" of talks with the district.
She said talks are complicated by the new teacher evaluation requirements enacted by the state.
"We have to make sure our plan fits the requirements," Ms. Smith said. "It's very complicated. . .there are so many small pieces of it."