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Proposed pay raise in Orange County disputed
Orange County teachers are against a proposed pay raise claiming the amount is not enough to cover the costs of inflation.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - Some Orange County teachers say they are voting against a proposed pay raise. They argue it’s not enough and want union leaders and the district to go back to the table to figure out another option.
The deadline is approaching to vote and teachers have a week to mail in their paper ballots. While it doesn’t happen often, it’s not unrealistic that there could be a ‘no’ vote.
About 3 years ago, these same teachers voted no on a salary package they felt wasn’t good enough.
Here’s what’s on the table: right now the average salary is $53,000 a year. The negotiated plan would give teachers an upwards of $3,300 raise, but some argue teachers need another $1,000 to survive with inflation.
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Drue Putz, who teaches 5th grade, is one voice calling on others to vote no. He says the state budget has given local school districts a lot more money to pay teachers, so he wants the union and district to go back and crunch numbers.
Putz says if this is the best everyone can do, then he believes teaching isn’t a sustainable profession. He says in a small snapshot poll online, others agree that checks need to be bigger.
FOX 35 reached out to union leaders. The former president who worked on this package says the union had a financial expert look through everything and they believe this is the highest teachers can get – and said a ‘no’ vote could delay teachers getting any money.