LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Clark County School District teachers have been taking a stance since March. For 9 months, it has been protest after protest, discussion after discussion.
“This fight began in March and it’s unacceptable that it took this long to get here,” Marie Neisess, CCEA president said during a Thursday morning press conference.
Niesess said the demands of the teachers needed to be met.
They were asking for better pay and better health care premiums so teachers could continue to teach and afford to live in the valley.
On Wednesday evening news broke of an agreement between the union and the school district thanks to an arbitrator.
“The deal is done it’s over and we are moving on,” John Vellardita, the executive director of CCEA said. “We shouldn’t have ever gone through this.”
In a historic $750 million agreement, teachers will now get a pay increase.
Key Highlights of the Agreement:
- Year 1: 10% raise for educators July 1, 2023
- Year 2: 8% raise for educators
- Increase in extra duty pay from $31.50 to $50 per hour
- $5,000 additional pay effective July 1, 2024 for Special Education teachers (self-contained & non self-contained) and teachers in Title 1 schools with 5% vacancies
- Pay for coaches and club advisers will be tied to new entry pay
- Salary schedule adds two more columns
- Restore the 1.87% PERs reduction in salary
- CCSD healthcare monthly premium contributions increased 19.7% over the term of the agreement. There will be no increase by employees toward monthly premiums.
- Back pay effective July 1, 2023, will be disbursed starting the first pay period of March 2024.
- Staring pay for entry level teachers will be $55,000
Despite the agreement coming in during winter break, the union said there has already been some damage done. This is because while teachers were waiting on a new contract, more than 300 educators left the district.
“Are there any efforts to bring back the 300 plus teachers who have left from August to December, asked FOX5′s Victoria Saha.
“We just settled this contract I can tell you the one message we are sending there were significant educators right now that were on the verge of quitting or retiring pending the result of this so I don’t know if there will be a return of those who left, as well as there may be progress to keep those who were thinking of leaving,” Vellardita answered.
The thought of leaving has crossed social studies teacher Kenny Belkap’s mind.
“It’s hard to put everything you have into your work every day when you have an employer who is determined to make sure you guys know you are not worth what you think you are,” Belkap said.
Now with this new agreement, Belkap said it makes a world of difference.
“Our household can start to see stability we are not going to have to worry about paycheck to paycheck stuff,” he said.
The pay increases will start in January.
During Thursday’s press conference, CCEA union members made it clear they were not satisfied with the school district’s top leader- Superintendent Dr. Jesus Jara or the school board trustees.
They mentioned efforts are underway to replace the superintendent but would not elaborate further.
FOX5 reached out to CCSD and school board trustees but have yet to hear back from them.
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