The Education Minnesota Transportation Staff voted on the contract Friday, Jan. 13. Union representative Jan Lichy said the contract passed, but it wasn't unanimous

To pass, the contract needed a yes vote from 50 percent of the union plus one member.

"We don't release numbers, but it was far from unanimous. What that tells me is that there are still a number of concerns," Lichy said.

The contract also passed at the Pequot Lakes School Board meeting on Monday, Jan. 23. Kimberly Bolz-Andolshek was not physically at the meeting but voted on the contract over Skype.

The school board's vote was unanimous.

School board member Mark Liedl read a portion of the contract at the meeting. Pay, he said, will be frozen through June 30, 2014, which is when the contract ends.

"Essentially, what this agreement does is assign a pay rate for new drivers from $16 an hour that may go on a step progression up to 18.04 an hour," Liedl said.

The board said all current drivers will have a pay rate of $17.28 an hour, except for six employees who will be grandfathered into a higher pay rate.

"There are six long-term employees who are members of this union that the contract agrees to a different rate of pay for them. That pay rate starts at $19.47 per hour and goes up to $21 per hour," Liedl said.

Union member and treasurer Scott Willer said he felt it was important to make the distinction that the pay is salary, based on four hours a day and 172 work days a year.

"If you work four and a half hours, it's still four hours. If you work three and a half hours, it's still four hours (of pay)," Willer said.

This means drivers who previously had a contract and will be paid at a rate of $17.28 an hour will get a salary of $11,888.64.

Also in the new contract is paid time off. Previously the drivers received both sick leave and vacation.

"We have converted sick leave and vacation time into PTO, paid time off," Liedl said.

Willer said drivers will get nine days a year of PTO, which can be accumulated up to no more than 50 days. Grandfathered drivers, he said, will be able to keep the days they've previously accumulated, up to 100 days.

Board chair Valarie Wallin and treasurer Bolz-Andolshek both thanked the union.

"I know that it was a very difficult negotiations and I know that we had a lot of ups and downs. ... I think that coming to an agreement is very admirable," Bolz-Andolshek said.

Both Lichy and Willer said they look forward to a brighter future with the school board.

"We got through it, and we've got a foundation to build on," Willer said. "We're looking forward to building up our relationship with the school and having a better future."

The contract will take effect Feb. 1.