Paraprofessionals at the Sterling School are set to go into arbitration with Sterling’s Board of Education in an attempt to increase their wages . The part-time workers have been urging the board to increase their pay since last year. The workers and union members spoke during the board meeting on May 19 , asking board members to reconsider their position so they could come to an agreement without arbitration .

“ We are asking youto revisit yourposition , ” said Bob Kryzs , director of collective bargaining of the CSEA / SEIU , Local 2001 Union based in Hartford . Addressing the board members , Kryzs , who is also a legal counsel for the union , said that the arbitration may cost $ 15 , 000 for both parties . “ It’s expensive and it’s a risk , ” said Kryzs . “ We are hoping to avoid it , ” he said .

“ I’m a single parent and these wages are impossible to support my family , ” said LeeAnn Stagon , a paraprofessional who works at the special education department with children with autism . “ We do need an increase in order to live , ” said Stagon , who has been a parttime employee of the school for eight years. Stagon supports two children through the salary she makes at the school .

There are about 40 such paraprofessionals in the Sterling School , holding various non-teaching jobs . They are bus drivers , instructional and administrative assistants , teachers’ assistants and some of them also work with children with autism . Since their contract expired in June 2008 , they have been under the same wage as stated in the old contract . The board’s inability to renew the contract and negotiate their wage has led the union to go into arbitration , scheduled for June 12 and 13 .

The same group asked the board of education to consider renewing their contract with new wages , but the board has not negotiated . “ They’ve been dragging their feet , ” said Matt O’Connor , the union’s communications director .

Paraprofessionals are some of the lowest paid workers in Connecticut and their median wage across the state stands at $ 13 an hour . “ Sterling is a town with economic issues , but we are not looking for the moon , ” said Kryzs . The union is asking for about three percent increase in wages for 2009-2010 .

The current wage of the paraprofessionals in Sterling is at $ 11 . 17 , one of the lowest in the region . In neighboring towns , the wages are higher than in Sterling , according to information provided by CSEA / SEIU , Local 2001 . For example , the hourly rate for someone with as much experience as Stagon is $ 14 in Plainfield and $ 15 . 87 in Griswold .

“ I love my job , ” said Roxanne Turenne , bus driver and part time worker at the autism department of the school . “ I just need to be appreciated financially . ”

Children with special needs require consistency and need to see the same person everyday . If the pay is not negotiated , paraprofessionals may try to look for jobs elsewhere , which is not healthy for the children . Hence , he said , it is important that the school retain these part time workers .

The board of education did not comment on the matter .