Florida moved up in a national teacher salary ranking from 32nd to 29th in the nation, but the state average salary continues to fall below the national average. ...more

January 3, 2009

Hernando's teachers would get a 2.4 percent raise this year as part of a tentative agreement reached late Thursday by the union and the school district. ...more

November 8, 2008

School bus drivers, cafeteria workers and other school support staff workers are slated to receive a small pay raise under a tentative contract agreement. ...more

September 26, 2008

The city plans to boost police salaries starting in October to stem the loss of officers to higher-paying law enforcement agencies. ...more

August 20, 2008

SEBRING — Contract talks between the Highlands County School District and the school support personnel union have recessed until September when negotiators will have more information on which to base their salary talks. The state budget issues will be a little clearer in a few months, said Michel Bernier, chief negotiator for the support personnel union. Also, after school starts in August, the district will know how many support workers they'll need based on student enrollment. The state funds school districts a certain amount per student. More students bring in more state monies to school districts. ...more

June 19, 2008

SEBRING — It was a relatively close vote, but the school district's educational support workers approved their employment contract. "It really represents so little money to people who had so little that we are not surprised that there was a substantial 'no' vote," said Michael Bernier, the chief negotiator for the Highlands County Educational Support Personnel Association. Almost 200 people attended Sunday afternoon's update and vote on the contract at the Sebring High School Smith Center. "This is the first time I've ever brought a contract back that almost had 40 percent voting against it," Bernier said. "These things usually pass by 90 percent or more." The contract likely passed because it was just before the holidays and the district promised to provide the retroactive pay increase before the holidays. ...more

December 4, 2007

SEBRING — One school bus driver hopes the district's support workers vote down the tentative contract agreement Sunday so a better salary increase can be negotiated. According to the School Board of Highlands County, the tentative agreement reached Nov. 9 calls for an average salary increase of 4 percent and a total salary and benefit package increase of 5.86 percent. According to the tentative agreement, each pay step will increase by 2 percent. Each year everyone moves up a step, except the senior employees, who have reached the top pay step. About one-third of the 700 support staff are at the top of the salary schedule and will be getting a 2 percent raise. "When we vote on our contract, we are voting on a 2 percent increase — period," said Mary Hein, a bus driver. "We are not voting on 4 percent. It would be nice if they increased my step by 4 percent, but they are not." The substitute drivers would only get a 2 percent raise because their pay is solely based on hourly salary, she said. ...more

November 28, 2007

SEBRING — After just one day of contract talks, negotiators for the Highlands County School District and the support professionals union agreed upon all language issues, but could not reach agreement on salaries. Both sides decided Tuesday to bring in a federal mediator in an effort to reach a tentative contract agreement. ...more

October 18, 2007

LAND O' LAKES - Teachers in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties know or have an idea of what kind of raises they're getting, but this year's salary schedule remains a mystery for teachers and other school workers in Pasco. ...more

October 18, 2007

SEBRING — Please check back soon for the 2007/2008 Instructional Salary Schedule, the School Board of Highlands County's Web site states on its salary page. Unable to reach a tentative contract agreement during the summer, the school district and teachers union are hoping to break the impasse with a second attempt at mediation on Oct. 10. ...more

October 6, 2007