Four years ago, school security aides in San Francisco gave up an hour from their eight-hour day when their supervisor told a roomful of the workers it would save the jobs of two young women. The hours were to be restored in two years.

Along with the hour-a-day layoff, the safety workers — known as “T-10s” for their job designation — also endured five furlough days per year.

“We cover each other’s back,” said A.J. Frazier, a T-10 and sergeant-at-arms for United Educators of San Francisco. “We did our part so younger workers could retain their jobs, on the grounds that we would eventually get that hour back.”

Between the furloughs and the seven-hour workday, T-10s took a 14 percent hit in the wallet. Frazier felt the $500 loss every month. “At the time I had just married a woman with four children and we bought a home. It was very hard to make the mortgage payments. We survived as a family, but we sacrificed a lot.”

In current negotiations, UESF has proposed the return of the lost hour and other moves to regain lost economic ground.

“This was supposed to be for two years and it has gone on for four,” said local President Dennis Kelly. “The district lied to these workers. It’s time to give back the hour.”