ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A special impasse hearing on Tuesday regarding a new contract for teachers in the Orange County school district ended with both sides reaching a deal.
District leaders announced last month to teachers what they are calling a “historic” 9% salary increase under the new contract for the 2023-2024 school year.
Superintendent Maria Vazquez said the raise was only made possible by increasing rates on some of the district’s insurance plans, adding that they won’t be able to afford teacher raises if health care costs stay the same.
“We are committed to using every possible dollar for salary increase but our historic 9% offer is only possible by addressing the surging cost of health insurance, which is affecting everyone all over the country,” Vazquez said.
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The Orange County Classroom Teachers fired back, claiming the proposal is unreasonable and too costly.
“We know that you have been told that the proposed insurance increases are minimal, I assure you they are not minimal,” said OCCTA President, Clinton McCracken.
However, OCPS attorney, Jeff Mandel said they aren’t the only ones increasing healthcare premiums by a high percentage.
“In (2022/2023), Volusia County increased their single coverage for the POS plan from $4.99 to $64.64 per paycheck,” Mandel said. “You know what that increase is? That’s a 1,198% increase.”
While it was initially thought the meeting would extend into the late evening hours, things changed when attorneys for both the district and OCCTA returned an hour late from the planned lunch break.
During that time, it was said both sides were meeting to come up with a solution that was agreed upon rather than imposed.
The final agreement proposed at the meeting was a $4.4 million premium discount for OCCTA bargaining employees.
According to the district, salary increases will be paid retroactively to the beginning of the school year. The proposed health insurance plan modifications are expected to go into effect on June 30.
In addition, the school board agreed to offset 50% of any premium increases beginning in September during the 2024-2025 school year. Meanwhile, the district announced that the full increase in premiums would not go into effect until the 2025-2026 school year.
However, the agreement will still need to be ratified by the union.
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