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Volusia Teachers to Continue Protest After District Declares Impasse

Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Teachers in Volusia County will continue their “work to contract” protest when they return from spring break next week. The school district declared an impasse in contract negotiations on Wednesday.

An appointed official will now hear from the school district and the Volusia Teachers Organization, then rule on a contract.

Andrew Spar, president of the Volusia Teachers Organization, said negotiations had been making progress.

“Now we enter yet another lengthy process that, ultimately, I think will be bad for the employees in this district, bad for the students in this district, and certainly doesn’t help try to bring a resolution to the concerns that the teachers have.”

The union started a “work to contract” protest earlier this month, which means they left once the school day ended. Teachers can spend up to three unpaid hours in the classroom after school. Teachers won’t stay after hours until a contract for this school year and the 2015-2016 school year is reached.

Spar said, "We still have great concerns about the lack of resources that we have. We still have great concerns about the cleanliness of our schools. We have great concerns about how we’re going to keep and attract great teachers to Volusia County schools.”

The union and school district have participated in eight negotiation sessions to resolve concerns about pay and working conditions.

District officials said in a statement they are committed to raising pay but they have to "face a financial reality."