Nov 13, 2025
OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Fredonia Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox smiles during a recent Board of Education meeting. At the recent meeting, Zilliox shared details of an agreement between the district and the Salaried Support Staff Association after it was Board-approved.
Earlier this fall, the Fredonia Central School District came to an agreement with the Fredonia Teachers’ Association on a new contract. About a month later, the District and the Salaried Support Staff Association (SSSA) came to a similar agreement.
Fredonia Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox shared details of the four-year agreement with the SSSA at the latest meeting of the Board of Education after it was unanimously approved by the Board.
Like the Fredonia Teachers’ Association (FTA) agreement, the District’s agreement with the SSSA is retroactive to July 1, and runs through June 30, 2029.
Zilliox said there was “good, open dialogue” throughout the negotiations, which resulted in what he called “a fair agreement.”
“I believe both sides feel good about the process and the results,” Zilliox said.
In the new SSSA contract, the 2025-2026 school year shows an increase of 80 cents to every employee’s base pay, with additional increases applied based on years of service, ranging from 20 cents up to $1.70. In the 2026-27 school year, all SSSA employees receive a 5% pay increase. In 2027-28, the same terms of 2025-26 will apply, with an increase of 80 cents, plus increases applied based on years of service, ranging from 20 cents up to $1.70. In 2028-29, all employees will receive a 4% pay increase.
In comparison, the four-year agreement with the FTA showed an overall increase of 4.63% from the previous contract. The FTA contract also included health insurance contribution increases and adjustments to the required work days.
Zilliox said the District analyzed the wages for employees throughout all positions of the SSSA, and the District determined that Fredonia was among the lower paying school districts in the region for most job titles. The District sought to “honor the good work that’s being done by (its) current employees”, while also being “competitive in the market” for qualified candidates. The District also sought to improve upon employee retention.
Speaking to retention, Zilliox highlighted wage compression across New York state. As minimum wage has increased significantly in recent years, there has become much less of a gap throughout many professions between entry-level employees and more experienced employees. Zilliox said rewarding employees for years of service to the District will be helpful in terms of retention.
Among the other changes to the previous contract include updated titles, clarification on who will be involved in the interview process, further defining the term “prolonged illness,” and changes to the grievance process, including a shift to utilizing the Public Employment Relations Board. Additionally, the pay schedule was updated, summer work was further defined, and job-related training was increased. Bereavement days were added, as well.
Zilliox offered thanks to both sides of the negotiations, including resources provided by BOCES. “We appreciate the time, effort, and energy of everybody involved,” Zilliox said. “Thankfully, we were able to keep a respectful, collaborative tone and energy during the process.”
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