The LHSAA and the LHSOA have come to agreement over pay issues that arose in meetings between the two organizations in May.
The officials have decided to move forward and end their boycott of the upcoming sports seasons. It is not known at this time whether the officials received any increase for their pay schedule.
Both sides met Sunday at the Crowne Plaza hotel in New Orleans for around four hours to negotiate the terms of a deal that would ensure the safety of the fall sports schedules for both football and volleyball.
During the week, Executive Director Eddie Bonine expressed doubt that a deal between the two sides would happen on Sunday in a radio appearance on Tuesday.
No details about the deal have been released as of this time, and LHSOA president Paul LaRosa did not immediately respond to request for comment after the conclusion of the meeting.
The officials were asking for between a $5 to $10 raise, which would cost each school roughly $1,800.
A lower-rated football official earns $65 per game, and a higher-rated official — more experience, better performance reviews — receives $85. The national average for officials fees for varsity football games range between $70-$100.
One of the main disputes between the LHSAA and LHSOA prior to today’s meetings was the LHSOA’s ability, or inability, to independently negotiate contracts with schools throughout the state.
According to Bonine the LHSAA handbook did not recognize the LHSOA as a separate entity, rather an association that fell under the umbrella of the LHSAA.
Bonine said in a Wednesday radio appearance that the Executive Committee would consider offering a member of the LHSOA a seat on the Executive Committee so that their interests would be better represented during the meetings.
Any deal between the two sides would have to be approved by both the LHSAA’s Executive Committee and the principals of individual schools during annual meetings held in January.
The LHSOA is scheduled to have a meeting Wednesday at Delgado Community College to discuss the meetings’ events with its members throughout the state.
Via- Trey Labat, the advertiser