February 18, 2019,

I know it's 2019 but we don't have an updated forum so....I'll post in here.

I'm a bit pissed off at the moment. My school district STILL does not have a contract for us for the CURRENT school year. That means the school year that ends at the end of May...we are still working off our OLD contract.

The district offered us a measly .9% raise. Yes folks, a raise that doesn't even cover the cost of living increases. Our union rejected the offer and countered with a 5% raise since we haven't had about a 1% in the past 5 years. Other counties surrounding us get a steady increase every year...but my county doesn't value teachers apparently.

Our union finally declared an impasse. Which means they need a magistrate to come in and rule on a final number. But the county school board keeps pushing back the day of the hearing. We're back to the end of April as our date at this point...which means a month before the end of the year.

I have a feeling the county is going to keep pushing it back until past the end of the school year and somehow rule that "Oh well..school year is over...you just worked for your previous contract...so that's what you get. Let's try again next year."

And for those reading this...we CAN NOT STRIKE in the state of Florida. It is a "right to work state" which means if we strike, we automatically get fired.

I'm getting beyond pissed. We've been holding rallies before every school board meeting and then we all go and sit in their meeting...like 650 people sitting in there wearing "red for ed." Most of the rallies, the board members just ignore us. This past time a school board member noted, "I appreciate you are here fighting for what you believe in, but I just want to note that at least your insurance rates haven't increased in five years...you should be thankful for that!" What a dick.

So done. My mortgage payment has increased 120 dollars a month...and I just can't. We could really use that raise to counter act these higher tax rates and insurance rates on the house....but screw my school board for saying we don't need a cost of living raise.