Escambia Public Schools are closer to reaching a resolution on a teachers contract after five months of unsuccessful negotiation between union officials and the district.
The district proposed raising the starting salary of teachers from $44,100 to $45,500 a year, which would be a 3.17% increase.
The negotiations stalled, however, because the Escambia Education Association (EEA) and the Education Support Personnel (ESP) had refused earlier in the week to negotiate separately, said ESPS Chief Negotiator Caroline Gray.
The Education Support Personnel union was not satisfied with the 97-cent raise that was offered to employees who are unaffected by the state-mandated minimum wage increase. There would also be some funds set aside for longtime employees, she Gray said.
On Friday, the district received word from the EEA that the two groups would be negotiating separately, making the chances of reaching a resolution more favorable for teachers.
The agreement with the ESP, however, still is farther away from finding a compromise. The 97-cent hourly raise proposed for education support personnel equates to a $2,2000 annual salary increase.
“What is currently in disagreement is with the education support bargaining unit. Obviously, we met the law that had to bring everyone up to $15 an hour minimum wage, and just that in of itself costs $3.8 million just to comply with the law,” Gray said. “Our proposal beyond that was about $1.65 million in additional dollars to try to provide a...
Police chief says security concerns and misrepresentations led to unanimous reversal less than 24 hours after approval OSHKOSH, Wis. (WBAY) - The Oshkosh City Council voted unanimously to rescind i...