Custodians reject pay raise to save jobs.

STAMFORD, CT — In an attempt to save their jobs, unionized custodians offered to waive an agreed three percent pay raise. This comes after the Board of Education cut 10 custodian positions last month to help eliminate a $1.8 million budget shortfall, The Advocate reported. Just last week, the board unanimously approved the revised three-year contract, saving five jobs. The same kind of deal didn''t quite work out for school custodians in Portland, OR. In order to save their jobs from outsourcing, custodians there offered to:

• Forego pay increases for a year
• Work for nine days without pay
• pay for a percentage of their healthcare benefits

Unfortunately, school administrators ratified a deal that will see the custodial services outsourced to an agency that provides job opportunities to the handicapped and disadvantaged. To read the full story, click here: http://www.cmmonline.com/News.asp?mode=4&N_ID=32734