CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — Negotiations between educators and the Clay County School District have reached a breaking point.
The Clay County Education Association has declared an impasse after months of failed negotiations over salaries.
“I’m afraid for Clay,” said Vicki Kidwell, the president of the Clay County Education Association. “I don’t know how we are going to maintain our A-rated district.”
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Union leaders said when they started bargaining back in April, they were told there was no money for raises.
They offered several funding options, including using millage funds to raise salaries.
The union’s final proposal asked for a $700 to $1500 annual raise per teacher, which is about $30-$60 more per paycheck.
“I really don’t think teachers are getting paid what they should,” said Teri Mills, a former teacher.
But the union said the district returned to the bargaining table with their only compensation offer of just over $27,000 in local funds that could be used for over 2,820 educators.
That offer provided a zero-dollar increase for 45% of teachers and less than $18 a year for veteran educators.
“Teachers can’t afford to stay in Clay County and live here and work here, and they are going to leave,” said Kidwell.
“When you think of that pay and that many teachers have second jobs in order to be able to support themselves, much less a family, I think we are not looking at the whole thing on what teachers are worth,” said Mills.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Action News Jax emailed the district on Friday and asked them about the negotiations. We have not heard back.
The next steps would be for both sides to take their proposals to a formal legislative hearing.
Clay County District Schools sent Action News Jax the following statement on Monday:
“Clay County District Schools deeply values our dedicated educators, and our primary goal is to provide the most competitive compensation package possible. However, like many districts across Florida, we are facing unprecedented budget challenges. This financial situation is driven by significant decreases in funding.
“The School Board’s top priority remains safeguarding employee compensation and ensuring stability by retaining all employees and meeting our financial obligations. Over the past several months, the District has worked aggressively to address a significant budget shortfall through measures including reallocation of positions, deep budget cuts, a thorough review of vendor contracts, and launching campaigns to increase student enrollment.
“Funds for additional compensation beyond the Teacher Salary Increase Allocation (TSIA) funds received from the state legislature will be difficult given our budgetary constraints. We remain committed to working through these challenges and value our employees immensely as we navigate this challenge together.”
“What were the salaries that were trying to be negotiated?
The negotiations were focused solely on salaries for instructional personnel.
“What is the starting pay for educators in Clay County?
The current starting salary for a new educator in Clay County is $48,500."
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
