Community reacts to incentive ‘equality’

By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com 

After a recent meeting of the San Benito Consolidated Independent School District’s Board of Trustees, it was brought to the attention of elected officials that district security guards are feeling forgotten regarding a recently awarded district-wide employee retention incentive of $1,000 to qualifying employees.

Additionally, the San Benito News was approached by certain security guards from within the district who said that although they may work up to 40 hours some weeks, they are only considered part-time district employees and are thereby not eligible to receive insurance or benefits afforded to full-time district employees.

Superintendent of Schools Antonio G. Limón said there are at least 10 full-time security positions currently frozen, not filled, within the district, and he does not know when or if said positions will be re-opened and/or filled.

Limón said perhaps in January or February an item may be placed on a school board agenda, at which time Limón would identify the hiring process for security guards as an item to be discussed among trustees. This unknown variable does not satisfy aforementioned security guards, who approached School Board President Yliana G. Rodriguez at a recent board meeting slated specifically to discuss the retention incentives, which were approved at $1,000 for eligible district employees, both professionals and paraprofessionals alike.

The issue of incentives has also been a hot topic among San Benito News readers, so this reporter took to the streets to ask regular members of the community if they feel the security guards are being treated with justice.

Security guard Joel Guerra, 60, works in Brownsville. He said, “To me, they (security) should get the same benefits if they put in the time. If they’re part-time but have worked 3-5 years, maybe they could at least get part of the incentive…instead of getting nothing.” Guerra said that this issue “is well worth (trustees) looking into.”

“It’s not fair,” said 41-year-old Frances Martinez of San Benito. Martinez is a home health provider who said, “I work part-time but work full-time hours sometimes. We even go over-time, but we don’t have medical insurance, nothing.” Martinez shared that she can empathize with those security guards who say they are in a similar circumstance.

Martinez continued, saying, “With no raises, when costs (groceries, gasoline) keep going up, how can you survive? Everything is going up, and your pay stays the same. I think the district should open up the full-time positions. That’s why we pay taxes. So they can have a pay increase.”

“I used to work whenever [my employer] needed me,” said Armando Martinez, a disabled member of the community. “I worked whenever they called, and had to go home when they said I was done. I had to drive all the way there, whenever they needed me.” He paused in reflection before continuing. He said, “Gas [to drive to work] is expensive. If the full-time positions are there for security, open them. It’s not fair, if not.” He added, “Give them a raise. If they haven’t had a raise since minimum wage increased, give them a raise.”

It was said by Secretary June Aguilera at the previously mentioned meeting to discuss incentives that she believes all district employees are equal and should be treated as such, because they each attribute to a part of a working “pillar.”

Minerva Saldivar, a 49-year-old home health provider agrees with Aguilera and said, “I think everyone should be treated the same. It’s not fair to give some (incentives) and not others.”

To that note, retiree Sodelva DeLaGarza, a 51-year-old San Benitian said, “Everyone deserves equal treatment.”

Trustee Oscar Medrano said, “I would definitely support anything the superintendent might bring forward to us (trustees), to allow us to give some type of an incentive to our security guards.”

Medrano said he has spoken with many security guards who have worked for several years without receiving raises. He said, “I hope Mr. Limón does propose something to the board.”

While a school board meeting was held on Tuesday, December 11, Limón said, “The only thing on the agenda is clarification of the incentives…a question about security guards or any other employees considered substitute (employees) who meet requirements for incentive. Limón further explained that the board will be deciding whether to “award the incentive or not.”

“Depending on what the board decides on this issue,” said Limón, “we’re probably looking at January or February before we’re going to put that (security hiring process, frozen/open full-time positions) on the agenda.”

Of at least 100 security guard positions within the district, which are currently filled, about 10 are considered full-time.

Rodriguez and Aguilera were both unreachable for comment by presstime.

Read this story in the Dec. 12 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.