Video Transcript:

The benefits you receive are bargained for, not given.

Did you know unions practically invented this thing we now call a weekend?

We need your voice to motivate the School Board to do what’s right for our staff, so they can do what’s best for our children. 

Several ESPs and Teachers came to see what happens at a bargaining session. Thanks for showing up!

OCEA and SDOC Bargaining Teams [image]

Increased Substitute Stipend

Since teachers are in short supply AND the teachers here are sometimes sick or forced to quarantine; ESPs are often asked to substitute for 1, 2, or more different classes in a single day.

We proposed –
$50 for a half day
$100 for a full day

SDOC responded –
$25 for a half day
$50 for a full day

Vacancies

Since there are multiple stories of employees not knowing a transfer or promotion was available and the employee interviewed “was notified” they were not selected by the fact that another poster is suddenly doing the job they wanted. We thought there was a need for change that would show common respect to our ESPs.

We proposed –
If requested, employees should get some written notification if the position they applied for has been filled and why they were not promoted or transferred.

SDOC responded –
Management does not feel this proposed change is necessary because BrassRing has that capability.

Please tell us how BrassRing has worked for you, not worked for you, or if you’ve not heard of BrassRing.

Retention Incentive Bonus

Since SDOC is advertising over 200 ESP vacancies. Since ESPs get paid very little to ensure students are supervised and cared for. Since, the stress of being told to sub 2 grade, then VPK, then 5th grade because the school secretary is scrambling to have an adult watching students even if it is over 100 students jammed into an auditorium. Since surrounding companies are offering $6-$8/hour more and signing bonuses. Since our ESPs have established a relationship with our students, we want to give them a reason to stick with our students, helping them navigate these trying times.

  • Kissimmee offers a $2,000 signing bonus.
  • Osceola Sheriff Department offers a $2,000-$3,000 signing bonus.
  • IKEA starts at $16/hr
  • Hobby Lobby starts at $18/hr

We proposed –
$1,000 Retention Incentive Bonus

SDOC responded –
Management does not agree to reopen salaries and benefits negotiations for the 2021-22 or 2022-23 years at this time. They are literally telling us, they refuse to talk about it until the end of 2023. 

$1,000 Bonus

Since some districts recognized the effort of their ESPs and the Governor recognized the extraordinary circumstances classroom educators endured/are enduring, we hoped SDOC School Board members would consider our ESPs to be just as good or better. 

  • Columbia County School Board thinks their ESPs are better than ours.
  • Alachua County School Board thinks their ESPs are better than ours.

We proposed –
$1,000 Bonus

SDOC responded –
Management does not agree to reopen salaries and benefits negotiations for the 2021-22 or 2022-23 years at this time. They are literally telling us, they refuse to talk about it until the end of 2023. 

We need your voice to motivate the School Board to do what’s right for our staff, so they can do what’s best for our children.