Non-teacher 1% pay cut proposed

By SYLVIA LIM

slim@bradenton.com

MANATEE --

The Manatee County school district proposed cutting salaries for employees represented by its support staff union by 1 percent and a freeze in raises based on the number of years an employee serves, a union official said Thursday.

But the district did not offer any guarantees there would be no layoffs as its struggle to come up with a budget continues, said Bruce Mohr, president of the local American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

In a second round of talks Thursday, district officials and AFSCME, which represents about 1,000 employees, laid out concerns over salaries and jobs.

"We were in discussion about holding or not affecting the lower pay grades, like the food service workers and bus aides and monitors," Mohr said. "Most of them don't work full time anyway."

Both sides also talked about the possibility of coming back to the table later in the year if there are any changes to the 2008-09 budget.

"I don't think the funding change will change for the better, I think it may change for the worse," said Tim McGonegal, assistant superintendent. "I think Florida's economy will continue to struggle."

Mohr said his union is bargaining with the information it has now on the state budget.

"If the district has bad information, we go back to the table," he said.

Like other school districts across Florida facing cuts, Manatee schools are forced to slash $15.8 million to balance its 2008-09 operating budget.

Earlier, the figure was $21.4 million. That was lessened after district administrators announced they have cut 104 positions, some vacant and some filled. That move saved the district $5.6 million.

McGonegal said the district will be releasing a salary proposal for administrators and non-union workers today.

He also declined to say whether the district will extend the AFSCME proposal to the local teachers union.

Meanwhile, tension between the district and the Manatee Education Association continues to build.

Throughout the week, both sides traded letters. Superintendent Roger Dearing invoked a state statute that compels both public employees' unions to come to the table to settle a contract within 14 days in times of "financial urgency." The union declined.

The MEA sent Dearing another letter Thursday, saying that the district has not exhausted all avenues to deal with the budget crunch.

In the letter, Pat Barber, president of the MEA, pointed out that there is a provision in the teachers contract that "permits the School Board to eliminate programs or positions" to balance its books.

When asked if that means the teachers union would take layoffs over pay cuts, Barber said: "That means that they (the district) have to explore avenues prior to trying to alter the bargaining agreement."

McGonegal had a swift reply.

"We certainly would like explore other alternatives than laying off people," he said. "We would like to sit down and talk to them about other options."