Contract Settlement Information

The money

• Highly effective = $581. (Based on last year’s Summative Part 1)

• Effective = $475. (Also, based on last year’s Summative Part 1)

• Highly Effective AC’s or PSC’s who choose to give up PSC = an additional dollar.

• The advanced degree supplements have increased by 4%. (Master’s is up to $2730; Specialist’s is up to $4,056; Doctorate is up to $5,408)

• There will be a retro payment, in the February 28 paycheck.

• Those without a Summative Part 1 from last year because they were on leave, or those with an N on Summative Part 1, or those who have worked for the district in the past will receive $158.

Other highlights

• This will be our first contract with up to three days of bereavement leave.

• We did a general restructuring of the contract. Many things moved to more logical places.

• Comp time will be approved for usage during any non-student part of a full student day. (Suppose you leave early one day. The time you miss without students can be charged to comp so you’re not using all your sick leave.)

• No changes in medical. (The format of the Board contributions is changing, but the total board dollars will stay the same.

How should we vote?

• BFT has no recommendation of how to vote. Obviously, this isn’t a great year for raises.

• If teachers approve the contract: We can report the YES vote to the board at the December 13 Board meeting, with raises beginning sooner than if we have to turn this down.

• If teachers do NOT approve the contract: By law, we go back to the bargaining table. This could begin the process of the Board imposing the deal, which would just delay the onset of the raise.

Do we believe this is the best deal?

If BFT leadership believed the district had more money, we would be holding out longer. But it really is time to let the bargaining unit decide. Their first offer was barely anything, but it was based on slim pickings from the legislature. President Dan Bennett met with Dr. Blackburn and CFO Pennie Zuercher in September and showed them where to find more money in their current budget. They listened and found an extra million dollars to put on the table. This was a breakthrough for a district that has historically put their efforts into trying to discredit union leadership. Also, they made several concessions Monday, November 28 at the table. Mrs. Zuercher will continue to meet with Dan Bennett through the spring to review actual expenditures, compared to the budget, to see if additional dollars become available. How tight is the budget? They are actually freezing the pay of their principals, 12 month assistant principals, and district management. Further, if any money becomes available to offer those groups, they agreed we will come back to the table to discuss teachers’ share. This really does seem to be all they have. We do respect the fact that this year’s budget was mostly made by the last CFO, not the current one.

Where do we go from here?

Next year’s budget will be the first one made entirely under the direction of the new CFO and the new School Board. We have already begun our push to MAKE OUR PAY A PRIORITY in the next budget. We are having positive members with board members already. We finally have all new people locally in all the right positions. Tallahassee is sending out warnings about another slim year, but if the district prepares locally, they can help us quite a bit.

Also, starting in January, BFT leadership will be engaging our members in talks about what needs to be taken off our plates. We already have a lot of good input from elementary teachers. Secondary teachers will also be discussing the 6 of 7 issue and looking at options. Look for information soon on our website about how those talks will happen so we can reach consensus before lobbying the board with a unified voice.

Questions and voting

Your BFT officers are offering webinars and face to face meetings

To attend a webinar, log into: https://www.gotomeet.me/BFT

• Sunday, December 4, 7 to 8pm

• Monday, December 5, 7 to 8pm

• Wednesday, December 7, 7 to 8pm

To speak to an officer in person:

• Thursday, December 1, Panera Palm Bay Road 5pm to 6pm

• Monday, December 5, Panera Palm Bay Road 5pm to 6pm

• Tuesday, December 6, Sunrise Bakery in Titusville on US 1 from 5pm to 6pm

• Wednesday, December 7, Panera at the Avenues in Viera from 5pm to 6pm

• Thursday, December 8, Beef O’Brady’s in Satellite Beach from 5pm to 6pm

To e-mail an officer:

• dan.bennett@floridaea.org

• anthony.colucci@floridaea.org

• vanessa.skipper@floridaea.org

Specific questions about the contract are okay from the school server during non-student time. We recommend personal matters or other comments come from a personal e-mail address.

Voting at school sites on Friday, December 9.

• The school building rep or a BFT officer will be working with school principal to establish the time and location of voting.

Thank you the BFT bargaining team who spent countless hours on this process: Vanessa Skipper, John Chybion, Sandy Edwards, Debbie Sandstrom, Brett Tower, Michelle Craanen, Stephanie Connolly, and David Meader