Teacher salary talks at impasse
A federally appointed mediator will serve as a go-between between Hernando teachers and the district.
By MARY SPICUZZA
Published October 29, 2005
BROOKSVILLE - Negotiations over teacher salaries are officially at an impasse.
The Hernando Classroom Teachers Association sent a letter declaring the impasse to superintendent Wendy Tellone on Friday, association president Brian Phillips said.
The impasse means that a federally appointed mediator will serve as a go-between between teachers and district negotiators.
Phillips said that, after a negotiating session on Tuesday, it became clear the district's proposal was not close enough to the teachers' proposal for a salary increase.
He added that 91 percent of 1,078 teachers surveyed said they were not happy with the district's offer.
"After looking at the survey, there was no way that our bargaining team would accept that offer," Phillips said.
The association had originally proposed a $1,100 raise for teachers, but lowered that to $950. It also asked for pay increases for teachers with advanced degrees: $2,500 for a master's, $3,500 for specialist degrees, and $4,500 for teachers with doctorates.
The association also asked for a longevity program that would give the district's most experienced teachers step increases.
Instead, the district offered an increase of 4 to 5 percent, said Barbara Kidder, the district's director of labor relations and professional standards. That's about a $910 raise per teacher.
School Board member Jim Malcolm said he understands the teachers' desire for more money, but questioned whether the district could afford it.
"I know why they need more; everybody needs more," Malcolm said. "The thing is, what can the district afford?"
He added that, after months of meetings, he was disappointed that the sides could not reach an agreement through collaborative bargaining.
"When you go to impasse, you end discussions," Malcolm said.
But Phillips said the teachers simply need more money. Hernando ranks among the bottom 10 or 11 school districts by nearly any measure, according to Florida Education Department data for the 2004-05 school year. The average salary for a Hernando teacher last year was $36,177.
That is about $5,400 below the state average and 60th among the state's 67 school districts.
"We need to pay teachers more in Hernando County," Phillips said. "We need to do it soon."
Mary Spicuzza can be reached at mspicuzza@sptimes.com or 352 848-1432.