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Schools, union continue talks

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By RONNIE BLAIR r

blair@tampatrib.com

Published: October 21, 2009

LAND O' LAKES - Negotiators will head back to the bargaining table today as the Pasco County school district tries to work out contracts with the union that represents teachers and other employees.

"Hopefully, we can have a settlement soon," Jim Ciadella, a business representative for United School Employees of Pasco, told the school board Tuesday.

The school year began in August, but teachers and other employees still are without a contract.
Negotiation teams working on the teachers' contract are to meet this evening and those working on the contract for other employees, such as custodians and bus drivers, are to meet Thursday evening.

Last year, employees didn't get raises or their annual step increases, which are paid based on years of service.

Raises are unlikely this year, and it's still unclear whether employees will get step increases.

Superintendent Heather Fiorentino has suggested one-time bonuses might be a better idea because the budget outlook for next year is poor. Step increases are recurring expenses, but bonuses aren't.

The union surveyed employees to gauge their views on bonuses versus step increases. Ciadella told the school board that about 25 percent of the employees responded, although he didn't reveal what their leanings were. Many of the employees added comments about things they would like to see changed in the school district, he said.

In other action Tuesday, the school board gave tentative approval to a manual that will set guidelines for implementing its school concurrency policy.

The vote came after a short public hearing on the concurrency implementation procedures manual, which is to be a resource for developers, local governments and the school board.

No one from the public spoke during the hearing.

The manual is expected to be adopted at the board's Nov. 17 meeting.

School concurrency ties the approval of housing developments to whether schools have the capacity to handle the growth. The Legislature approved a bill in 2005 that requires every county in Florida to develop a concurrency plan.

The school board, the county commission and local municipalities already worked out an interlocal agreement on concurrency.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 259-7065.

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