ORLANDO, Fla. — After months of contentious bargaining, the Orange County School Board and the teachers' union have reached a tentative one-year agreement on pay.
- Orange County Public Schools, teachers union reach tentative deal
- Sides have been negotiating over pay, bonuses, breaks for months
- Deal must be still be ratified by School Board, teachers union
- RELATED:
The district on Friday met the union on many of its conditions. As previously reported, the district recently offered an average 6% raise over 2 years, with no rise in health insurance costs until February.
The potential rise of health insurance premiums was a big reason why teachers voted down the offer in the first place. That was the first time in Orange County Public Schools history.
Now, the district has agreed to an average 5.5% raise in one year, with no health insurance premiums going up this school year.
Highlights of the deal include:
- Teachers rated "highly effective will get a $2,800 annual salary increase
- Teachers rated "effective" will get a $2,100 annual salary increase
- District will pay 10 months of the insurance increase for all employees for this school year
- Retro pay back to the first duty-day
Shari Bobinski, a spokeswoman with Orange County Schools, says the district heard the teachers' concerns and tried to meet them as best it could.
"We’re very excited that we could meet them at their one year request. The next steps is to have it approved by the School Board on Tuesday night, and then get it to the teachers so they can vote on it and hopefully have a bigger paycheck come Christmas," Bobinski said.
To smiles and cheers, the two groups signed paperwork shortly after agreeing Friday afternoon.
Teachers got several other working conditions they were bargaining for, which included regular bathroom breaks.