LHSAA, LHSOA reach tentative agreement on pay

BY: TRACEY JAGNEAUX
Sports Editor

After a behind closed doors, four hour meeting on Sunday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Baton Rouge, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association and the Louisiana High School Officials have reached a tentative agreement that would end any walk out of officials for the 2015 football season.
Emerging from the meeting, LHSAA Executive Director Eddie Bonine and LHSOA president Paul LaRosa were all smiles in front of the cameras after the meeting. Both Bonine and LaRosa did not divulge the details of the agreement because they said there were some “mechanical things” and “set pieces” to work out.
“A lot of conversation about a lot of things we had to get on the table and talk about,” LaRosa said. “We have a tentative agreement. We’re going to go back to our officials and let them know we’re very excited and promote the registration of football officials and volleyball officials to get ready for the season. At this point, we can’t give you any more details on what has been agreed to.”
The LHSAA and the LHSOA were at odds over a couple of issues that included a pay raise for officials in the neighborhood of $5 to $10. Currently a lower rated official earns $65 a game, where as a higher rated official earns $85 a game. The national average is between $70 and $100 dollars a game.
For all intents and purposes, the real issue for the LHSOA was the fact that raises had been promised in the past and were not delivered from the principals around the state.
The LHSOA did walk out on this same issue in 2011, albeit for one night. However, the associations of officials throughout the state felt that they were disrespected when the administrators promised them raises in exchange for performing certain extra duties, including attending state wide officials’ camps, which did not come to fruition.
Another very vital issue for the LHSOAA was their ability to have a voice on the LHSAA Executive Committee.
At present time the LHSOAA is considered under the umbrella of the LHSAA and not a separate entity that can negotiate contracts independently with the schools.
Bonine did address this issue saying that the LHSAA would consider offering the LHSOAA a seat on the Executive Committee to better represent their interests during the meetings.
The difference in these issues all came to a head, when the two sides came to an impasse on June 23.
The issues not only affected football officials, but also officials of a number of sports. Still, the immediate impact would have been felt on the gridiron and also on the volleyball court, as these two season are fixing to get revved up in the next few weeks.
Accoding to the Lafayette Officials Association assignment secretary Greg Gathreaux, the deal is one that all parties should be happy with.
“I can’t go into details about the agreement because they (LHSOA) asked us not to until the details are ironed out,” said Gathreaux. “What I can tell you is that it is a good deal for the officials and the schools. All parties made some concessions to reach an agreement.”
Gathreaux stated that the officials, especially in Lafayette, are ready to get to work.
“We always wanted to work,” commented Gathreaux. “We just wanted something settled. As an association, we had proceeded as normal, just in case things would have worked out. We will be ready when the season begins.”