Updated: Schools Ratify Education Support Personnel Contract

Haverhill School Committee President Maura L. Ryan-Ciardello.

Note: This story has been updated to include raise percentages.

A new contract for the Haverhill Public Schools education support personnel (ESP) unit of the Haverhill Education Association (HEA) provides gradually increasing salaries over three years.

The agreement, which was made official Thursday night with support from the Haverhill School Committee, offers raises of .5 percent for 2014, 1 percent for 2015 and 2 percent for 2016, a source told WHAV Friday.

The committee, without discussion, voted 5 to 0 to ratify a “memorandum of agreement” following ratification by union members Wednesday. Committeeman Scott W. Wood Jr. abstained, noting that his mother is an HEA member. Mayor James J. Fiorentini, who participated in the meeting presided by President Maura L. Ryan-Ciardello, was not called to vote. Committeeman Paul A. Magliocchetti, who was out of town, participated by remote teleconference.

As WHAV reported Thursday, HEA’s ESP unit members were first to ratify the deal Wednesday by a vote of 49 to 7, according to HEA President Lisa R. Begley, through a voice mail message at the union’s office line.