The Great Falls Association of Office Personnel unanimously voted Nov. 30 to ratify a new contract.

The union’s bargaining team met with the Great Falls Public Schools district on Nov. 28 and reached a tentative agreement.

The union’s contract had expired June 30 and they hadn’t reached an agreement with GFPS. The groups went to mediation this fall and had their second meeting earlier this week.

Under the new three-year agreement, office personnel will receive a 8 percent pay increase, retroactive to July 1, according to the union.

GFPS in mediation with office staff union

Over the course of the agreement, starting wages will jump to between $16.40 and $19.82, up from the current range of $13.59 to $16.73, according to the union.

Office Personnel’s current average salary of $16.59 is roughly 83% of the average office staff pay in other school districts. By July 1st, 2025, their new average salary of $19.72 will be 99% of the AA average. A longevity payment starting in their 15th year of employment was also secured.

“On Monday, we were picketing and testifying at the school board meeting. Just four days later, we’re celebrating a monumental win. We know what it took to win this fair agreement and that includes the good faith negotiating we saw from district leaders,” Daneen Pate, union president, said in a release.

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“This is a big win for us, our families, and the Great Falls students and families we take care of every day,” Ashlie Clarke, a member of the bargaining team and an administrative assistant at Lincoln Elementary, said in a release. “All of us worked so hard toward a common goal and with the school board’s approval, retroactive pay upwards of $700 will get to us just in time for Christmas.”

The ratified agreement will go to the GFPS school board for consideration on Dec. 11.