Union set to rally against privatizing school staff jobs

Terry Webster

Thursday, May 10, 2001 | 11:19 a.m.

A rally aimed at warding off talks of privatizing support staff jobs in the Clark County School District is being staged prior to today's School Board meeting.

A flier for the event states the support staff union, which has more than 6,000 members, is planning to organize a protest at 4:45 p.m. in the open lot between the Education Center building and Walgreens near East Flamingo and McLeod Avenues.

Talks on privatization began in December, but union leaders say the district's current budget crunch has them concerned the concept will be resurrected.

Superintendent Carlos Garcia said various companies were asked to make proposals, but none could do it cheaper than the district.

"I did invite a lot of different companies to at least look at the district," Garcia said. "It's been my experience in other places that it did save money."

But none of the firms were able to provide a price tag lower than what the district now spends.

"The question we have always had is what if the proposals were lower than what the district currently spends," said Steve Burrell, an organization specialist with the union. "What would they have done?"

Burrell said the union also wants to raise awareness in the general public and for the School Board in terms of what role support employees play in the district.

"A lot of people really don't understand what we do," Burrell said.