Workers who clean for the Pittsburgh Public Schools, transport equipment and prepare thousands of student meals each day have authorized their negotiating committee to call a strike whenever necessary.

Members of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 297 gave the authorization Saturday, but no strike is planned at the moment, union President Jeff Frontera said yesterday.

The district's contract with 470 custodians, equipment operators, food service workers, mechanics, repairmen and truck drivers expired Dec. 31.

Mr. Frontera, a custodian, said members are upset with the pace of talks and with the school board's decision March 21 to offer Superintendent Mark Roosevelt $15,000 annual raises as part of a three-year contract extension.

He said the district and his union haven't discussed wages during the four negotiating sessions they've held so far. But he said members oppose the district's proposals to increase the workers' health care payments and to eliminate double-time pay for some who work seven days in a row.

Mr. Frontera said union members now pay about $1,200 a year in health care premiums. He declined to say how much the workers are paid, and the school district did not provide the information yesterday.

"We're not asking for the world, just to make a living," Mr. Frontera said.

The school district had not been notified of the strike authorization vote, said its spokeswoman, Ebony Pugh.

Also expired are the district's contracts with Pittsburgh-Mount Oliver Intermediate Unit employees represented by the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers and clerical workers represented by AFSCME Local 2924.

PFT President John Tarka said negotiations for the intermediate unit employees are continuing. An official of Local 2924 declined comment yesterday on the status of talks involving that union.

The district's contracts with three other PFT bargaining units expire in June. Those units comprise teachers and other professional employees; paraprofessionals, such as classroom aides; and technical-clerical employees.

Mr. Frontera said Local 297's work is pivotal but unappreciated. He said his members not only clean schools, but keep the grass cut, the boilers operating and the swimming pools up to health standards.

When the district closed and reorganized schools over the summer, he said, some members worked 16-hour days packing and unpacking supplies, transporting equipment and cleaning. He said some obtained special certification as truck drivers so the reorganization could be completed in time for the start of classes in August.