Teachers and support staff at Northside Independent School District (NISD) may not have seen the pay increase they've been advocating for till now, but there's a silver lining on the horizon. According to Fox San Antonio, NISD board members previously voted against a proposed pay raise for support and classified members who did not receive a hike in January 2023. The dispute first emerged when the district's union, Northside AFT, deemed the exclusion of certain positions from pay increases as unacceptable and filed a grievance.
Despite fiscal hesitations, with NISD Superintendent Dr. John Craft pointing to the steep $6,200,000 estimated cost of across-the-board raises, there's a turnaround to report. The district announced all employees would receive a compensation lift for the 2023-2024 academic year, reported by KSAT. This package includes a 3% midpoint pay raise along with one-time retention payments funded by the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund, designed to retain and attract new employees.
The adjusted compensation strategy comes after intense union pressure and public debates over equitable pay. Union President Melina Espiritu-Azocar told Fox San Antonio, "We're going to keep fighting the good fight, we're going to stand united with them. We're going to hold the district accountable. These are some of the hardest jobs and they what their compensation should look like they're doing those hardest jobs." Espiritu-Azocar highlights the importance of fair compensation, especially for those in demanding roles such as bus drivers, custodians, and maintenance staff.
However, Dr. John Craft expressed the district's acknowledgement and appreciation for their staff through the approved pay raise. "Our employees are the heart of this organization," he mentioned in a release obtained by KSAT. “We value their work and wanted to make sure we could increase compensation for them in the new school year. We remain hopeful and will continue to advocate to state legislators that funding be allocated to further improve employee compensation.”
