The School Board approved the 2025–2027 Nutrition Services collective bargaining agreement on June 23, 2026.
Stillwater Area Public Schools and Nutrition Services began negotiations for the 2025-2027 contract on February 10, 2026.
Meeting 1 - 2/10/26 - The Nutrition Negotiations team presented ten items for consideration.
Nutrition Services Proposals
Negotiations Meeting 2/10/2026
Wage Increase: The team proposed a percentage increase to the wage schedule.
Retirement: The team proposed a sick leave payout upon retirement
Holiday Pay: Change paid Memorial Day to Martin Luther King Day (1st choice) or Presidents Day (2nd choice). Add a floating holiday.
Insurance: The team proposed changes to insurance premiums
Retro Pay: Would like retro pay from July 1, 2025 to the current contract, paid in a separate check
Longevity Pay Increase: The team proposed increases to the hourly longevity pay.
SAHS Manager: The team proposed changes to increase the pay difference between managers and assistant managers.
Assistant Managers: The team proposed adding Assistant Managers to secondary schools and larger elementary schools
Discretionary Leave: The team proposed an increase to discretionary days
The team would like to have a discussion about revising the pay scales either now or in the future. Would like to see Elementary and Secondary managers and employees for both, more aligned.
Meeting 2 - 3/25/26 - The District Negotiations team responded to Nutrition Services proposals with costing information by proposal.
Meeting 3 - 4/8/26 - The District Negotiations team presented seven language proposals. The Nutrition Services team presented an additional item regarding substitute rates.
District Proposals for Negotiations between ISD 834 & Nutrition Services
Meeting 3 - 4/8/2026
1. The district proposes adding professional development days to the work year.
2. The district is interested in managers, assistants and back-up managers to obtaining a MN Certified Food Protection Manager’s License and keeping it current throughout employment.
3. The district proposes insurance language in alignment with the 2025-26 MOA. This is language that has been agreed upon across all units.
4. The district proposes to eliminate the Income Protection benefit in lieu of MN Paid Leave and reduce the elimination period of LTD.
5. The district proposes the following changes to Article IX.
- Update/shorten the posting timeline to align with the MOA.
- Update language for emergency closings.
- Eliminate the requirement of health exams
6. The district proposes to eliminate short term leave without pay.
7. Appendix A - 2025-2027 Nutrition Services Salary Schedules - language that defines credit for years of service for placement on the wage schedule.
Meeting 4 - 4/28/26
At this meeting the Nutrition Services team declined to offer responses to the district’s proposals until after they receive a financial proposal from the district.
The District presented proposals on the following items at this meeting:
Financials: The district made a financial proposal that included wage schedule increases and changes to the structure of the wage schedule.
Longevity: The district included increases to the longevity pay schedule as part of the total package.
Insurance: The district re-affirmed its interest in adding the insurance MOA language to the contract and proposed that the effective dates of insurance coverage are adjusted to align with the insurance plan year.
The Nutrition Services team proposed the following items of interest at this meeting:
Substitute Manager Rate: A revision to their earlier interest was shared.
Retro Pay: The team offered a revision to their original interest.
New - 403b Contribution: The team expressed interest in increasing the 403b matching contribution in year 2
Longevity Pay: The team shared an additional interest in modifying longevity pay by adding longevity pay at 5+ years of service.
Meeting 5 - 5/11/2026
At this meeting, the Nutrition Services negotiations team responded to the District’s proposals. We reached a tentative agreement on eight items.
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The nutrition team rejected the wage schedule proposed by The District. The team proposed a percentage increase to the current wage schedule.
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The nutrition team rejected the addition of professional development days proposed by the District and countered with limiting the increase in work days to those around opening/closing kitchens.
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The nutrition team rejected the elimination of short term leave without pay.
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The nutrition team rejected the proposal from the District requiring managers and assistant managers to retake and pass the full servsafe class and pass the test every 3 years.
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The nutrition team rejected the strike language proposed by the District.
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The nutrition team tentatively agreed to eliminate the income protection benefit and reduce the elimination period of long term disability.
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The nutrition team tentatively agreed to the insurance premium language and the updated insurance coverage dates.
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The nutrition team tentatively agreed to update language in the “Promotions” section.
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The nutrition team tentatively agreed on the removal of the requirement for Health Examinations
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The nutrition team reached a TA to replace Memorial Day and Labor Day as fixed paid holidays with two floating holidays
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The nutrition team tentatively agreed to update the emergency school closure language
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The nutrition team tentatively agreed on the renewal of the Nutrition Services Aide MOA
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The nutrition team tentatively agreed to the language added to Appendix A about step credit.
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The nutrition team tentatively agreed to the District's proposal to reduce the posting period for vacancies.
Meeting 6 - 5/28/2026
During the meeting, both The District and Nutrition team exchanged responses on outstanding proposals and worked collaboratively to resolve remaining items. By the conclusion of the meeting, we reached a tentative agreement on the full 2025–2027 collective bargaining agreement.
Board Approval Update
The School Board approved the 2025–2027 Nutrition Services collective bargaining agreement on June 23, 2026.
Key Highlights of the Agreement
- Step movement for each year of the contract
- Salary schedule increases of 2.25% in year 1 and 2.25% year 2 that includes a market adjustment.
- Medical insurance language that reflects the cost sharing aligned with other agreements.
- Addition of longevity pay at 5+ years as a retention incentive.
- Elimination of the Short Term Disability benefit effective 7/1/26.
View the 2025-2027 Nutrition Services contract
