The School District of Lee County and the Support Personnel Association of Lee County have reached a comprehensive tentative agreement on contract modifications and compensation updates after negotiations.
The contract covers several thousand Lee County school employees including all bus drivers, cafeteria staff, maintenance, instructional support, bookkeepers, secretaries and more.
Highlights of the agreement include:
- 3% cost of living adjustment (COLA) for all SPALC employees
- Additional compensation for employees who have a higher level of experience
- New paid leave benefits:
- Up to four weeks (20 consecutive workdays) of paid parental leave to run concurrently with FMLA
- Up to three days of paid bereavement leave (not deducted from personal/sick time)
- Retroactive pay to the beginning of the contract year - payout TBD
- Terminal pay language revisions to align with state statute
- Experience credit: up to 10 years accepted for new hires
"We are thrilled to announce this exceptional agreement that truly recognizes the invaluable contributions of our support team members," said Superintendent Dr. Denise Carlin. "This comprehensive contract demonstrates our unwavering commitment to the dedicated professionals who play such vital roles in our educational system. These significant improvements in compensation and benefits reflect how much we value their service to our students and families."
Arlease Williams, President of SPALC, celebrated the successful negotiations: "This is a tremendous victory for our members and represents exactly what we hoped to achieve through collaborative bargaining. The substantial compensation increases, leave benefits, and comprehensive improvements show that both sides were committed to reaching an agreement that truly supports our workforce. We couldn't be more pleased with these results."
Next Steps & Key Dates:
- By Sept. 9: SPALC employees will be notified of their new salaries
- Opportunities to learn more: In-person and virtual meetings will be scheduled to review the agreement and answer questions
- Ratification vote: Scheduled for Sept. 24. SPALC employees will vote on whether to approve the tentative agreement
- School board approval: Tentatively scheduled for the Oct. 7 board meeting
- Payout date: Approved raises and retroactive payments will be issued on Oct. 31.
SPALC represents the following job positions: Analysts, assistants / attendants / monitors, assistant supervisors, bookkeepers, clerks, couriers, craft & trade workers, custodians, dispatchers, drivers, food service workers, head custodians, helping teachers, LPNs, managers, mechanics, operators, paraprofessionals, printers, receptionists, secretaries, specialists, technicians, utility workers / trades, helpers / site workers.
A contract remains unresolved between the schools and the teachers' union.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.