Norwin increases pay for cafeteria workers

Forced to compete with area restaurants for employees, the Norwin School District will increase the starting wage for cafeteria workers from $10.80 an hour to $14.80 an hour under terms of a contract approved by the board this week.

The district’s contract with the Service Employees International Union 32 BJ gives the larger wage hikes to the new workers, while agreeing to smaller pay raises for workers at the top of the scale, the district said in a statement.

Sam Williamson district leader for SEIU Local 32 BJ, said that with starting wages going up more than 40% and half the workers getting a $4 raise, this is a win for Norwin’s food service workers.

“Workers deserve to live and work in dignity and we will never stop fighting to ensure safety, fairness and justice for them,” Williamson said.

The board unanimously approved the two-year pact, which covers about 35 cafeteria workers.

In August, a group of cafeteria workers said the board’s proposed pay raise of 20 cents an hour was an “insult.”