Rapid City School Support Workers Fighting for Fair Wages

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — Wage negotiations between Rapid City School District officials and support-services employees have disintegrated.

The local Teamsters union recently announced that due to a lack of supportive membership, it would no longer represent the employees at the negotiating table.

They include custodians, maintenance staff, bus drivers, warehouse workers, grounds workers, security personnel, mechanics, laundry staff and print shop workers.

Without a union to bargain on their behalf, some affected employees are uncertain what will happen.

Assistant School Superintendent Dave Janak tells the Rapid City Journal that negotiations are over and the School Board is expected to approve a 25-cent raise for the employees.

School Board member Jim Hansen says he'll continue dealing with support-services employees as a group and hopes to have a contract agreement ready for Monday's board meeting.

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