Collier teachers continue pay negotiations with the district

Published: Updated:
Teachers
Teachers are needed at Collier County public schools. (CREDIT: WINK News)

Once again, Collier County teachers are asking the district for an increase in the current base salary. Both sides went back to the bargaining table Thursday, and the teachers union asked the district for an additional $3,200.

The current average salary for a Collier County teacher is around $69,000, but not everyone makes that. The base salary currently starts at $54,000, and the district wants to move it to $57,000. However, they didn’t reach a deal today and will meet again on July 29th.

“We’re not willing to move much further because, like I said, teachers have to be able to live, and they cannot pay their bills based on what they’re getting paid,” said Pam Baldwin, Vice President of the Collier County Education Association. “We’ll see what they come up with, and then we have some things on our mind that we can give to them to think about to bring us closer together.”

The teachers believe the district already has the available funding to give them better wages and are asking them to step up.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.