Tentative agreements sent to all employees

January 9, 2012

The PEA bargaining team is presenting to you, for approval, the following pieces for ratification:

o Salaries

o Enhanced Health Benefits

o Committee to approve forms and help with paperwork reduction

We are recommending a YES vote on these proposals.

It has been a long process to get here and PEA has fought on your behalf every inch of the way. Your team boldly refused a $500.00 one-time bonus and fought for your Step increase because we believed better could be and should be done. We met with School Board members and the Superintendent. We kept pressing for better and we were able to get Step movement. This is important because the Step stays with you from ratification on and counts toward your FRS. We also made sure that this increase is retroactive back to the start of the school year. The goal was to get money moving again and then work for long term salary solutions!

Again, while we are happy to be one of a very small handful of school districts to be getting monetary increases we know that our work is not done. PEA, for many years, has been pushing to have salaries negotiated up front in the budgeting process. In the past this has not been the case. Dr. Nickell has shown her commitment to this process and there is now a Joint Fiscal Responsibility Committee reviewing the budget. There is movement to begin bargaining for next year’s salaries with the hope of bringing you that settlement before you leave for summer break. While we cannot guarantee that this will happen there is a renewed effort to make this a priority. Your bargaining team believes that the increased communication with the Superintendent, the increasing support of School Board members, and the positive discussions that have occurred with the District will all lead to more positive outcomes on salary issues in the near future.

One thing is for sure however, without the persistence of your PEA bargaining team this offer would not be on the table. PEA is fighting for your salaries and benefits—just this year alone we were able to ensure you had better health benefits and more money in your pocket. So, is our work done? No, it is just beginning and we will not give up until you have the best wages, benefits, and working conditions possible!

The Tentative Agreements have been disseminated to all represented by email and will be posted at the worksites for 10 days. Balloting will begin after the ten days. PEA will alert you by email when the ballots are placed in the courier and when you can expect their delivery.

The ballots will be counted at 5 pm, January 30th, at the PEA office at 730 E. Davidson St.  

Judge Strikes Amendment 7 from 2012 Ballot

December 14, 2011

TALLAHASSEE – Florida Education Association President Andy Ford commended a ruling by Judge Terry Lewis in state Circuit Court in Tallahassee striking an amendment placed on the ballot by the Florida Legislature that would significantly alter the no-aid provision in the Florida Constitution. Judge Lewis said the ballot summary approved by the Legislature was misleading. READ MORE...

Education Budget Falls Short

December 7, 2011

TALLAHASSEE – Statement from Florida Education Association President Andy Ford on Gov. Rick Scott’s public education budget proposal:

“When he was running for governor, Rick Scott promised not to cut funding for public education. Once elected, however, he presided over a budget that slashed education by nearly 8 percent, took 3 percent out of the paychecks of every public school employee and green-lighted massive unfunded mandates for school districts. READ MORE...

Multiple Legal Challenges - Lawsuits

We will continue to keep you updated on our multiple legal challenges.

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All lawsuit materials filed are available at http://www.meyerbrookslaw.com/Litigation.htm