JTHS 204/Paraprofessional Negotiations
JTHS District 204/Joliet Township Paraprofessional Council AFT Local 604 Negotiation Information
This page serves as a central resource for families, students, staff, and community members to stay informed about ongoing contract negotiations. Our goal is to ensure transparency, provide timely updates, and support open communication throughout the process. Please check back regularly for news, documents, and important announcements.
Announcements
Important Update on Paraprofessional Contract Negotiations (Posted October 23, 2025)
Families, Staff, Students & Community:
We are providing an important update on contract negotiations between Joliet Township High School and the Joliet Township Paraprofessional Council, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 604. This union represents 110 paraprofessionals and security staff who serve our Joliet Township High School students.
Negotiation History
Negotiating contracts that are fair to staff and responsible to the community is a shared responsibility. The collective bargaining agreement expired on July 1, 2025, and since negotiations began on April 7, 2025, the district has been fully committed to reaching a fair and equitable agreement. We share the union's goal of attracting and retaining qualified employees to support our students, and we have approached every negotiation session with this priority in mind.
Over the course of fourteen bargaining sessions since April, including two sessions with a Federal Mediator, both parties have made substantial progress. We are pleased to report that we have reached tentative agreement on virtually all contract proposals, including those listed below. For more information, view the document HERE.
- Increase in life insurance
- Increase in retirement insurance contribution
- Increase in reimbursement for unused sick leave
- Increase in shift differential
- Increase in one-time retirement incentive
- Increase in substitute rate
- Added additional paid holidays
- Added pay for translating and interpreting
- Added longevity bonus
The district has demonstrated good faith by accepting the union's proposals to modernize contract language and align paraprofessional benefits more closely with other district employees. Additionally, we have worked collaboratively on provisions designed to address the retention challenges both parties recognize. The district’s offer reflects recognition of the Board of Education’s collective desire to reach a salary settlement that is affordable and sustainable.
Current Negotiation Status
The only remaining item under discussion is salary. The district has proposed a $1.50 per hour pay increase for the 2025-2026 school year, followed by 3.5 percent raises for both the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 school years. Under this most recent offer, every paraprofessional would see salary increases of at least 20% over the next three years, with some paraprofessionals receiving salary increases approaching 25% over the next three years. The union’s proposal includes a $4 salary increase, followed by a 3.5 percent increase for the 2026-2027 school year and a 3.25 percent increase for the 2027-2028 school year. Under the union’s proposal, the first year alone would cost the district $801,614, reflecting an average increase of 20.38% per member (including step movement). Over the three-year period, the average paraprofessional would receive total increases of 31.24%, which equates to an average annual increase of 10.14%. Both the district and the union are working diligently to find common ground on this important issue. The district recognizes the critical role our paraprofessionals and security staff play in our schools and is committed to offering competitive compensation that reflects their value while maintaining fiscal responsibility to our taxpayers. Our current salary structure provides competitive wages with step increases based on experience and educational credentials, ranging from entry-level positions to employees with 30+ years of service. We are carefully reviewing proposals to ensure any agreement is sustainable and fair to both our employees and our community.
Of the $18,568,026 total budget surplus, paraprofessionals may only be compensated through the Education Fund (for instructional paraprofessionals) and the Tort Fund (for security paraprofessionals). The combined surplus of these two funds totals $4,308,900, representing 4.12% of the projected fund balance for FY 2025–2026. Given the ongoing federal and state funding uncertainties, maintaining a strong fund balance remains essential for financial stability.
Shared Goals
Both the district and the union share the same commitment: providing excellent educational support and a safe environment for our students. The Board of Education was represented at all negotiation meetings as the Board’s attorney was present. The negotiation team ensures the Board of Education is updated throughout the process. We value our paraprofessionals and security staff, and we understand that competitive compensation and working conditions are essential to attracting and retaining the qualified employees our students deserve.
Moving Forward
We remain optimistic that an agreement will be reached through continued good faith negotiations. The district is committed to:
- Continuing productive dialogue focused on finding mutually acceptable solutions
- Maintaining our investment in the professionals who support our students daily
- Reaching a fair agreement that serves our employees and maintains fiscal responsibility
- Minimizing any potential disruption to the educational experience of our students and staff
We will continue to keep our community informed as we work toward a final agreement. We appreciate the patience and professionalism shown by our paraprofessionals and security staff as we work through this process, and we thank our families, students, staff, and community for their continued support. For public documents and updates related to this negotiation process, visit the JTHS 204/Paraprofessional Negotiations Webpage.
Frequently Asked Questions
JTHS District 204 - 2025 Paraprofessional Negotiations
Current as of October 23, 2025
Q: Where can I find information regarding the status of negotiations?
A: The District's website (jths.org) has been updated to add a link on the homepage. Clicking that link will take you to a page where you can access records relating to negotiations, including the current bargaining agreement and the parties' cost summaries of their most recent offers.
Q: Why does the Union's posting say the District's last proposal was $2/hour in the first year, but the District's posting says its last proposal was $1.50/hour in the first year?
A: At the last mediation session the District asked the mediator to find out if the Union would recommend salary increases of $2/hour, 3.5% in year 2, and 3.5% in year 3. The mediator reported that the Union team said it would not recommend that to the membership, so the question was never turned into an offer.
Q: How much does the Union's $4/hour increase in Year 1 cost versus the District's $1.50/hour proposal?
A: The District's offer adds $350,414 in new salary costs in Year 1, while the Union's proposal would add $801,614 in new salary costs in Year 1. Those costs would then be compounded by salary increases in Year 2 and Year 3. Total new money costs are shown on Page 3 of the District's cost summary.
Q: I'm in the paraprofessional bargaining unit. Can I see how the District's proposal affects my wages for the next three years?
A: The District's cost summary includes a breakdown of the salary increases by employee under the District's most recent offer.
Q: The Union says the District has over $18 million in surplus funds that could be used to meet the Union's demands. Why not just give them a $4/hour raise in Year 1?
A: First, the $18 million represents money spread across several funds dedicated to different purposes. Paraprofessional salaries are paid from the Education Fund and Tort Fund, which is projected to have a surplus of $4,308,900 for the 25-26 fiscal year out of a total annual budget of $104,569,466 million. Surpluses exist in part because the District has to prepare for unexpected expenses, including cuts to federal funding. Second, there are five different Union bargaining units that also draw the majority of their salaries from the Education Fund, two of which will be negotiating new contracts in the next year. That is why settlements with all of our union groups must not only be affordable, but sustainable as every future raise is built off the ones given today.
Q: What have the other unions been getting for settlements in the District?
A: Recent contract settlements in the District can be found on the JTHS Human Resources Webpage.
Q: The Union says they are underpaid compared to other paraprofessionals in the area. Shouldn't they get the 20%-25% raises in Year 1 that $4/hour would give them?
A: Comparing hourly wage rates in other school districts without looking at total compensation is an incomplete comparison. Total compensation is affected by things such as how much the employer pays for health insurance versus how much the employee pays each month. For example, most of our paraprofessionals pay 5% for single insurance, and 9% for Employee+Spouse, Employee+Child(ren) and Family. Paraprofessionals pay 0% for Dental and Vision. Paraprofessional Health Insurance Rates can be viewed HERE. Other school districts require a greater employee contribution, which effectively lowers their hourly rate and take home pay. If the situation was so much better in neighboring school districts, we would be losing current employees to them and having trouble hiring new employees. Neither is happening.
Q: If the District doesn't need to offer outsized raises to attract and keep people, why offer $1.50/hour in Year 1?
A: We did something similar previously with other bargaining units to adjust their starting rates, particularly to keep them ahead of the annual increases to the Illinois minimum wage. We feel it's appropriate to extend a similar increase to the paraprofessionals in Year 1 and we believe this level of increase is affordable and sustainable.
Q: Are there any issues other than salary increases still on the table?
A: No. All other issues have either been tentatively agreed upon or withdrawn. A list of tentatively agreed to benefits for paraprofessionals is found on the last page of the District's cost summary. These benefits reflect additional total compensation improvements for the paraprofessionals.
Q: So what happens if the sides can't agree on raises?
A: A number of things could happen. The District remains hopeful a settlement can be reached.
Q: Will the Union go on strike?
A: That is up to the Union. If they comply with all of the legal requirements, the paraprofessionals could walk off the job.
Q: If the Union strikes, will school be cancelled?
A: No. The other four bargaining units, covering teachers, office staff, custodial/maintenance, and bus drivers are under contracts that have a no-strike clause. If the paraprofessionals strike we will implement plans to account for those who walk off the job. Closing schools would negatively impact instruction, athletics, and would cause significant hardship for our families. We will do everything we can to avoid placing that hardship on our students and parents/guardians.
Q: If the Union calls a strike do all paraprofessionals have to participate?
A: No. Illinois law allows employees to choose whether or not to participate in a strike. Employees who want to come to work will be allowed to do so.
Q: Would a strike mean make-up days added to the end of the school year?
A: Since we plan to keep schools open during any strike, there would be no need to add days to the end of the school year.
Q: Would striking employees get back pay for days spent on strike?
A: Only if the District agreed to back pay as part of a strike settlement.