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Union, School District agree on proposed contract

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BY RONNIE BLAIR

THE TAMPA TRIBUNE

Published: November 4, 2009

LAND O' LAKES - Teachers and other Pasco County School District employees would get one-time pay supplements but no raises or step increases under a tentative contract agreement announced Friday.

The proposed settlement comes after months of negotiations in what has been a tight budget year for the school district.

Terry Rhum, the School District's employee relations director, and Lynne Webb, president of United School Employees of Pasco, announced the settlement jointly Friday morning.

The exact amount of what are being referred to as "stabilization supplements" will vary.

Teacher supplements will range from $550 to $850, depending on years of experience Webb said.

Meanwhile, the supplement for other school employees covered by the union contract, such as bus drivers and cafeteria workers, is determined based on a formula. The formula takes an hourly rate, multiplies it by hours worked and multiplies that by the employee's number of contracted days.

The hourly rate in that formula will be 26 cents for employees with one to five years experience; 31 cents for those with six to 10 years of experience; and 36 cents for those with 11 or more years of experience.

The supplements are to be paid in a lump sum Dec. 18.

The supplements apply to current employees. Anyone hired after Nov. 3 would not get the supplement, Rhum and Webb said.

As has been the case in the past, employees will continue to get fully paid health insurance, something that has been a priority for the superintendent and the School Board, Rhum said. Health insurance costs have gone up, though, and providing that benefit will cost the district an additional $667.27 per employee, he said. The district has almost 10,000 employees.

Although employees don't pay for their health insurance, they do pay if they insure dependents.

In addition, the union and school district negotiators have agreed to meet during the rest of the school year to explore an early retirement incentive for employees, Webb said.

Also, the district and the union left open the possibility of re-opening contract negotiations if the School District's financial picture improves, Webb said.

The proposed contract must be approved by the School Board and ratified by employees. The employees are scheduled to vote Nov. 19.

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