The Great Falls Public Schools board approved a labor agreement extension with the Craft Council during their Dec. 11 meeting.

The previous agreement was set to expire June 30, 2024.

The Craft Council is comprised of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers – Local 233; Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters – United Brotherhood of Carpenters; International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 82; Local 260 and Plumbers and Fitters; and International Union of Operating Engineers Local 200 – Local 400.

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The district is planning ahead for budget purposes and contacted the craft council with an option to extend the current contract for the 2024-2025 school year.

That will allow the district to negotiate all of its labor agreements in the same calendar year and best project budgets, according to the district.

The Craft Council union members voted in favor of extending the agreement, according to the district, which includes a four percent wage increase retroactive to July 1, 2023 for this budget year and another four percent increase for 2024-2025.

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The new agreement also includes an increase in the district’s contribution to the electricians and carpenters insurance from $765 to $800 for the 2024-2025 school year.

The base salary for this group was about $937,539 for the 2022-2023 school year and the increase will have the approximate budget impact:

The increase to the health insurance contribution for crafts selecting their individual union’s health plan is variable
and will depend on which crafts elect to choose this insurance instead of the district’s plan. The cost will be $35
per month per employee enrolled, according to the district.