Despite progress being made in full-book negotiations through multiple bargaining sessions, CCSD has declared impasse. While impasse has been a rare occurrence in Citrus County's recent bargaining history, our team is prepared to navigate this turn as we do all things -- in solidarity!
Throughout this year's negotiations, we've made clear the priority interests of our Instructional and Support members:
- Work-Life Balance for Teachers
- Fair Contracts Providing an Additional Paid Holiday for non-251 Support
- Salary Improvements that Respect Our Contributions
On Monday evening, alongside clean-up of contract language, CCEA and CCSD exchanged economic proposals. CCSD opened the discussion by presenting (for a second time) a proposal which ONLY addressed the Teacher Salary Increase Allocation funds earmarked by the state for instructional salary increases, with the sum total of new funds in the TSIA ($510,000) being distributed to returning teachers as a $443 salary increase. Nothing for Support. Only a promise to continue discussions.
Taking into account the looming 10% increase in employee health insurance premiums, CCEA made a comprehensive economic proposal that included our Support unit and would address all of our economic priorities. The District returned with a proposal in the final fifteen minutes of our scheduled session with a counter-proposal and --though priority items included in CCEA's proposal had been omitted-- CCEA committed to reviewing the offer and preparing a counter for our next session on October 20th. Here is a side-by-side comparison of the offers on the table:
CCEA pointed out that by proposing improvements applied as percentages rather than flat adjustments, we could continue making strides in decompression of salaries for both units. This remains a significant priority for Teachers and Support staff alike, and we acknowledge that it means employees on the beginning pay levels would receive a smaller adjustment than the average.
CCSD asserts that pay for performance is still required by statute. Their counter reserves $155,000 for PFP to be distributed according to the formula in contract. Using last year's numbers for reference, we provided an estimate of the amounts to be distributed as pay for performance for illustrative purposes.
To put these proposals into perspective, a returning teacher making an average of $56,429/year who takes the District's insurance (employee only) would realize the following under each of these proposals:
TSIA ONLY = -$62.54 (yes, that's $62.54 LESS in take home pay!)
CCEA Proposal = +$1,327.34 (almost keeping pace with year-over-year inflation)
CCSD Counter = +$208.04 (if rated Highly Effective for last school year)
For Support, the outcomes are even more stark! A returning non-251 Classified Support person makes an average $25,846/year taking the District's insurance (employee only) would realize the following under each of these proposals:
TSIA ONLY = -$505.54 (A LOSS as the only thing certain at this point is the 10% increase in health insurance premiums)
CCEA Proposal = +549.06 (on top of the July 1st step, with an added holiday, and after covering health insurance increase)
CCSD Counter = -$81.23 (a nominal $177.29 increase on the year if you also factor in the July 1st step)
The parties are scheduled to return to the table on October 20th but may agree to additional dates sooner. Members are encouraged to watch home email for updates.