School Nurses, Counselors Win 14.5% Pay Increase

The Glendale school board Tuesday approved a 14.5% pay raise for district nurses, counselors and speech therapists, ending an 18-month contract dispute with the 44-member Glendale Support Services Assn.

The new contract, which covers the 1985-86 school year, also includes a one-time payment equal to 9.6% of the annual salary for nurses and speech therapists. Counselors, who work fewer days than other members of the association, will receive a lump-sum payment equal to 6.7% of their annual salary.

The group has been without a contract since June, 1984. The raise also is intended to compensate the group for the 1984-85 school year, school district officials said.

“We’re certainly glad that the ordeal is over,” said Don King, a representative of the association. “But we feel that the issue of comparable pay was not resolved.”

King said the association still wants to be paid for recent increases in the length of the school day and will raise the issue when contract talks for next year begin this summer.

Teachers received slightly higher salary increases last fall because they now must teach a longer school day, district officials said. The district has contended that members of the Glendale Support Services Assn. are not affected by the longer school day.