SEBRING — An oversight by school district and support personnel negotiators will require another bargaining session to work out details on incentive pay. As the school board was about to approve the support union employment contract recently it was pointed out that a small portion of the contract was not in the agreement the employees ratified Dec. 2. The language concerned job incentive pay for employees with two- or four-year college degrees. "That poses for us a potential problem," said Sam Lee, negotiator for the school district. "It is my opinion that should the board adopt page 21 ... you in all probability will have committed an unfair labor practice," because it was not included in the contract ratified by the employees. ...more

December 16, 2007

The curtain is up. The kilns are ready for firing. A growing list of classes and teachers is in the queue. ...more

December 13, 2007

SEBRING — One school bus driver hopes the district's support workers vote down the tentative contract agreement Sunday so a better salary increase can be negotiated. According to the School Board of Highlands County, the tentative agreement reached Nov. 9 calls for an average salary increase of 4 percent and a total salary and benefit package increase of 5.86 percent. According to the tentative agreement, each pay step will increase by 2 percent. Each year everyone moves up a step, except the senior employees, who have reached the top pay step. About one-third of the 700 support staff are at the top of the salary schedule and will be getting a 2 percent raise. "When we vote on our contract, we are voting on a 2 percent increase — period," said Mary Hein, a bus driver. "We are not voting on 4 percent. It would be nice if they increased my step by 4 percent, but they are not." The substitute drivers would only get a 2 percent raise because their pay is solely based on hourly salary, she said. ...more

November 28, 2007

SEBRING — After continuing to work under last year's contract since the start of the school year, the school district's support personnel will likely get their annual salary increase along with a retroactive raise before the holidays. The Highlands County Educational Support Personnel Association and the School Board of Highlands County reached a tentative contract agreement late Monday afternoon. The tentative agreement calls for an average salary increase of 4 percent and a total salary and benefit package increase of 5.86 percent. ...more

November 14, 2007

The Highlands County Educational Support Personnel Association and the School Board of Highlands County reached a tentative contract agreement on Monday. ...more

November 13, 2007

LAND O' LAKES - The Pasco County School District and the union that represents school employees are back at the bargaining table, trying to work out an agreement on salaries nearly three months into the academic year. ...more

November 7, 2007

SEBRING — Teachers overwhelmingly approved their employment contract Friday, which represents about a 9 to 11 percent increase in salary and benefits over an 18-month period starting Dec. 1. Also, the number of pay steps have been reduced for the second consecutive year, which helps teachers move up the pay ladder faster, said chief negotiator and union president Steve Picklesimer. Two years ago there were 19 steps. Last year two steps were eliminated. This year's agreement cut out four more steps resulting in a total of 13 steps. The 18-month contract roughly represents a 3 - 4 percent increase in salary and benefits this year and a 6 - 7 percent increase in salary and benefits next year, Picklesimer said Monday. ...more

November 6, 2007

State lawmakers return to Tallahassee today to continue the special session on property tax reform. Last week, instead of nearing a consensus, the House and Senate grew even further apart, with House members overhauling their plan on Friday. ...more

October 22, 2007

LAND O' LAKES - Teachers in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties know or have an idea of what kind of raises they're getting, but this year's salary schedule remains a mystery for teachers and other school workers in Pasco. ...more

October 18, 2007

SEBRING — After just one day of contract talks, negotiators for the Highlands County School District and the support professionals union agreed upon all language issues, but could not reach agreement on salaries. Both sides decided Tuesday to bring in a federal mediator in an effort to reach a tentative contract agreement. ...more

October 18, 2007