August 14, 2025 - The MEA bargaining team members which included MEA chief negotiator Bruce Proud, Pat Barber, Valerie Finnegan, Helen King, Brian Kirchberg, Rob Lyons, Jon Syre, Evelyn Townsley and Dawn Walker met for the second time Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at the School Support Center with management’s bargaining team members which included the District’s chief negotiator Mark West, Christina Britton, Silvana Ianinska, Derek Jensen, Gina Maliniak, Cathy Milley, Sharon Scarbrough and Rachel Sellers.

MEA chief negotiator Bruce Proud presented a proposal for both teachers and paraprofessionals aimed at continuing to deal with compression and providing financial recognition for experience for all members of MEA bargaining units.

MEA’s initial proposal for teachers included

• a 6% pay increase for all eligible teachers (those who worked 99 days or more in ’24-’25),
• continuing the retention supplement at 16+ years ($2,100) and 25+ years ($3,600) of Manatee County schools teaching experience respectively,
• adding a new supplement for those with +10 years ($1,000) of Manatee County schools teaching experience and
• a proposal to add 6% to all supplements on the supplement schedule.

MEA initial para proposal included

• step movement for all eligible paras (those who worked 99 days or more in ’24-’25),
• a $.70 raise (COLA) added to each step,
• and the addition of a longevity supplement for those who have worked as a para in the Manatee County schools for 10+ years ($1,000) and 20+ years ($1,500).

The bargaining teams also had extensive discussions regarding the ’25-’26 Referendum Supplement for teachers and paraprofessionals. There was discussion of factors that had impacted the rollover amount that was credited to teachers and paras from ’24-’25 and available for inclusion in the supplements for ’25-’26. That amount was lower than it had been in the past due to:

• only collecting 94% of the expected tax collection,
• the 2% commission held back by the Manatee County Tax Collector, and
• the lowering of the appraised home values by $1 billion by the Property Appraiser.

MEA’s and Management’s bargaining teams discussed the impact of those factors on the money available for the teachers’ and paras’ referendum supplement and whether there would be a decrease in the supplement for ’25-’26 or whether the Board would add money above the previously agreed upon 51% for teachers and 5% for paraprofessionals in order to keep the supplement amounts the same for this year.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the ’25-’26 Referendum Supplement shows that it was agreed that there would be no reduction in the supplements. In addition, the first payment for the referendum supplement will be on the August 22nd paycheck. The MOU shows all the information that went into calculating the teachers’ and paras’ supplements for both the ’24-’25 and the ’25-’26 work years.

The chief bargaining spokesman for management’s team, Mark West, closed by saying that MEA’s proposal went beyond what the Board had provided for negotiations. They would look at the proposals carefully and collect data to accurately cost everything out prior to the next bargaining session.

The meeting adjourned 9:30 pm.

The minutes of each session which will be posted once approved by both MEA and management.

The next bargaining session will be Thursday, August 21, 2025 at the SSC located at 215 Manatee Ave. W. starting at 5:30 pm.

In solidarity,

The MEA Bargaining Team

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Tuesday, August 12, 2025 - The MEA bargaining team is scheduled to meet with the district bargaining team on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, and Thursday, August 21, 2025, beginning at 5:45 pm at the School Support Center, 215 Manatee Ave. W. in room 203.

All negotiations are open to the public, and anyone is welcome to come to observe.

In solidarity,

The MEA Bargaining Team

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July 31, 2025 - The MEA Bargaining team members which included MEA chief negotiator Bruce Proud, Pat Barber, Valerie Finnegan, Helen King, Brian Kirchberg, Rob Lyons, Jon Syre and Dawn Walker met Wednesday, July 30th at the School Support Center with management’s bargaining team members which included the District’s chief negotiator Mark West, Christina Britton, Silvana Ianinska, Derek Jensen, Gina Maliniak, Joe Ranaldi, Sharon Scarbrough and Rachel Sellers.

The focus of this session was discussion of the School Board’s tentative budget (spending plan) for fiscal year ’25-’26. Rachel Sellers, Deputy Superintendent of Business Services, provided the teams with a brief overview of the Board’s tentative budget, which was adopted on Tuesday, July 29th. Rachel Sellers started by telling the bargaining teams that the Property Appraiser had lowered his assessment of property values by $1 billion from June to July. She also reported that beginning in November 2024, without notice, the Tax Collector began taking 2% commission out of the 1 mill referendum.

She then included information about the funding received from the Legislature, increased cost of FRS benefits passed on by the Legislature, the reserves maintained by the School Board, plans to move expenses from the referendum to the General Fund to accommodate the new programs added to the referendum, transfer of funds to Charter schools due to projected increased enrollment as well as projected increase in health insurance costs.

Bruce Proud followed up on Rachel Sellers presentation by reminding management that MEA has raised concerns in bargaining about the Board moving programs from the referendum to the General Fund for several years. The concern is continuing to shift programs back before you know what the General Fund is and putting pressure on the General Fund. The referendum is not stable, and if the Board moves the money to the General Fund, there will not be money for other things.

He then asked what the reserves were spent for since that fund went from $120 million at the close of the ’24-’25 fiscal year to $65 million in the tentative budget.

Rachel Sellers said part was transferred into training. Marc West pointed out that the need was generated by the Federal hold back of Title 2 funds which pay for teacher training.

She said a big part of the money moved from reserves was related to restricted programs and allocations.

There was also a brief discussion of what issues the parties would bring to the table and it was agreed that those would be restricted to Article XII (salaries and benefits) at this time.

Details can be found by reading the minutes of each session which will be posted on the MEA website once approved by both MEA and management.

Future dates for negotiations are coming soon.

In solidarity,

The MEA Bargaining Team

Bargaining 073025

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Monday, July 28, 2025 - The MEA bargaining team is scheduled to meet with the district bargaining team on July 30, 2025, at 4:00 pm at the School Support Center, 215 Manatee Ave. W. in room 203.

This will be the opening of contract negotiations for the teacher and para contracts for 2025-2026. This is a limited reopener negotiations; therefore, not all articles will be open for negotiations.

All negotiations are open to the public, and anyone is welcome to come to observe.

Below you will find a summary of the priorities captured from the responses from the Bargaining Surveys conducted in May.

Complete bargaining survey results:  

The MEA bargaining team will post updates after each session including future bargaining dates.

July 17, 2025

MEA and the District have reached an agreement on the pay schedule for teachers and paraprofessionals for the ’25-’26 work year.

This agreement includes,

• a “skinny check” for 10-month employees for 5 days will be paid on August 8, 2025
• 26 equal payroll distributions paid from August 22, 2025 - August 7, 2026
• end of the need to negotiate “skinny checks” in future years due to the new pay cycle
• the district will again deduct an equal amount of “Paid Not Earned” (PNE) from each paycheck to show the repayment of the money advanced for the “skinny check.”

Also agreed to but not contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU),

11-month instructional employees begin work on July 14^th will receive a “skinny check for 5 days’ pay on July 25, 2025.

MTC employees who begin work on July 29^th will receive a skinny check for 4 days (worked in that pay period) on August 8, 2025 (the same as last year).

Memorandum of Understanding for Teachers

Memorandum of Understanding for Paraprofessionals

MEA needs YOU! Membership in your union is more important than ever! Scan the QR code or click here to join!

1. A VOICE IN YOUR WORKING CONDITIONS
As we collectively bargain our wages, hours and working conditions, we help define the most tangible aspects of our profession for Manatee County teachers and paraprofessionals.

2. ADVOCACY FOR OUR STUDENTS & SCHOOLS
Through student scholarships, community outreach and policy advocacy, MEA members are working together to ensure our students and our neighborhood public schools have the resources they need to thrive.

3. REPRESENTATION WHEN IT'S NEEDED
MEA members are guaranteed representation in matters related to their job. In administrative meetings, and in the event of certification or investigations by outside agencies, membership means support for and protection of due process rights.

4. PROFESSOINAL GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT
Members have access to a wealth of professional resources through our local, state and national organizations; we are committed to high-quality instruction at every level of education.

In AFT President Randi Weingarten’s latest New York Times  column, she describes what it is exactly that unions do. Though unions are the most popular they have been in decades, anti-union sentiment still thrives in red states and across the nation. “Several years ago, The Atlantic ran a story whose headline made even me, a labor leader, scratch my head: ‘Union Membership: Very Sexy,’” Weingarten writes in the column. “The gist was that higher wages, health benefits and job security—all associated with union membership—boost one’s chances of getting married. Belonging to a union doesn’t actually guarantee happily ever after, but it does help working people have a better life in the here and now.” Click through to read the full column.

Don’t be fooled by imitators who offer liability coverage only. Last year alone 17 members faced false allegations of child abuse requiring legal representation for criminal investigations (CPS), for defense of certificate (DOE) as well as for district investigations (OPS).  In the last decade, there have been 0 members requiring liability coverage.

When it comes to coverage MEA along with its affiliates, FEA, AFT and NEA, has members covered in all areas of job related issues including legal, and it’s all included in the price of your dues.

Coverage includes but is not limited to:

• Allegations of child abuse resulting in criminal charges
• Ethics charges referred to the Department of Education
• Questions of competency reflecting on job performance
• Representation in disputes with school level administration
• High dollar liability coverage

In addition, members have the benefit of:

• An outstanding legal team with over 75 years of aggregate experience and a staff of full-time attorneys who deal exclusively with members’ legal issues.
• A network of labor lawyers throughout the state
• MEA officers and staff to guide members through the process
• No limitations on fees, hours or nature of the case