Workers Add Major Muscle

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

Nearly 1,850 members of the Jefferson County Association of Education Support Personnel (JCAESP) bulked up when they affiliated with AFSCME Aug. 29. The vote was an overwhelming 507 to 7.

The members perform a number of functions — including classroom assistant — in Louisville schools. The teachers they aid have a strong union, and the support staff wanted the same thing.

Caroline Grunder, who's worked in the schools for 12 years, says JCAESP's members want better pay and benefits. Pay at present is so low that some employees qualify for food stamps. Health insurance is another concern. "The cost is so high that when people have it taken out of their checks for their families, they find very little money coming home, so they basically work for health insurance," Grunder says.

Council 62 will provide servicing support for the organization.