Custodians Ratify New School Pact

The 138 members of the Ann Arbor Public Schools' building and grounds union yesterday ratified the tentative contract reached early Thursday morning with the Ann Arbor Board of Education by an "overwhelming majority." The Board of Education is expected to ratify the contract at its next regular meeting. The settlement, reached at 4 a.m. yesterday morning with the help of state mediator Robert Blackwell, averted a strike by the maintenance personnel scheduled to be called today- the day the former contract expires. The 15-month contract is retroactive to July 1 and expires Oct. 1, 1969. The terms of the contract includer - A 20-cent-per-hour across the board raise retroactive to July 1; - An additional 10-cent-perihour across the board raise beginning April 1, 1969; - Double-time pay for Sundays and holidays; - A two-cent-per-hour increase in longevity pay for personnel employed between 10 andl 15 years ; an addmonal two I cents per hour for those em-l plpyed more than 15 years. - A tooi replacement allow-l anee for mechanics and 1 ters. The new contract would hikel the base pay of the general 1 todians from a minimum of I $2.58 per hour to $2.78 per hour, I and from a maximum of $3.031 per hour to $3.23 per hour. Af-I ter April 1, the range would bel increased from a minimum ofl $2.88 per hour to a maximum ofl $3.33 per hour. I These figures do not include I longevity payments. The general custodians are the largest group in the union. The head I custodians and skilied maintenance people have a higher base pay. When mediation began, thel union was asking a 1 hour increase across the board. I The school board was offeringl a 13-cent-per-hour increase across the board. I The building and grounds union is the final union to reach a contract settlement with the Board of Education. The union members are affiliated with Local 1182 of the American Federation of State, I County and Municipal Em- ployees (AFSCME).