Lee County teachers meet with district for bargaining

Reporter: Claire Galt Writer: Matias Abril
Published: Updated:

No resolution is in sight for the Lee County teachers who are hoping for increased salaries. On Monday, the district came up with additional money, but there’s still no deal.

The school district opened the negotiating session saying it was ready to double the amount of money in its teachers’ pay pool up to $32.8 million.

Spread out among Lee County’s 6,000 public school teachers across the board, that’s an 8% pay raise.

High school teacher Amanda Blacketercolucci was among the teachers who called the offer unacceptable.

“When you really break that down per person, and you break it down with our salaries, it’s less than a couple 100 and doesn’t pay for anything really; gas prices– that gives me a tank and a half a gas,” Blacketercolucci said.

In a statement, the school district called its offer “impressive” and that it “underscores our commitment.”

Both sides admit the devil is in the details and agreed to meet again next Tuesday.

Lee County teachers earn less than their neighbors in both Collier and Charlotte County.

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