BUSHNELL, FL (August 15, 2023) --The elimination of payroll dues deductions for most public sector unions in Florida went into effect on July 1st when provisions of SB 256 became law. Like so many of our union colleagues around the state, SCESP members are declaring 'I'm sticking with my union' by making the move to eDues, SCESP's preferred method of dues payment. By the start of this school year, the majority of SCESP members had already made the switch, and throughout the fall we're organizing to bring the rest on board!

 eDues is safe and secure.  Utilizing Plaid (an industry leader in account verification used by platforms like Venmo), eDues sets up a routine ACH payment that safely and securely processes the payment between member and union account. Our union does not collect or store members' bank information, and members always have access to their eDues set up through our secure membership portal (https://feacms.floridaea.org/portal/signin).

eDues is reliable and consistent. Once set-up, members can be assured that their dues payments will drafted on time to ensure there is no lapse in their membership privileges. eDues are scheduled to follow the district payroll calendar, and because it is the method that most closely mirrors payroll deductions, members will notice little difference in how dues are paid--instead of drafting before the paycheck deposits, it just drafts right after!

An added benefit of eDues is that it won't drive up the cost of membership. Because any other payment method would require costly transaction fees or additional union time and resources to process, eDues is the most economical choice for alternative dues payment.

Getting EVERY member into an alternative form of dues payment is the first and most critical step to ensuring our union reaches 60% membership density in time for the annual registration with PERC (the Public Employees Relations Commission) as now required by law. SCESP is also reaching out to new hires with a goal of welcoming every new ESP to THEIR union. Joining has been streamlined by placing the membership application completely online in the FEA Fast Track form. As always, new members are eligible for a one-time $25 sign up bonus with completion of the application process.

Together we're proving that solidarity is more than a minimum membership density!

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.

Suncoast Credit Union has partnered with Creative Benefits for Educators, as a preferred partner for retirement and financial planning, to serve FEA’s members through Educators Choice.

Visit Us  •  Download Flyer

Educators Choice is a financial guidance and planning program exclusively for FEA members. Through Educators Choice, FEA members gain access to complimentary webinars, seminars, and face-to-face financial education. Members also receive exclusive benefits and no-cost one-on-one counseling to create an individual, unique, and customized financial plan.
Contact Noelle Rodriguez:  813.648.2669 • noelle.rodriguez@suncoastcreditunion.com

BUSHNELL (September 28, 2021) - SCESP and SCSD bargaining committees have reached tentative agreements regarding a number of substantive contract language changes alongside signed memorandums of understanding related to COVID. The proposed changes to the contract rectify contradictions in existing language, clarify processes for reporting of unsafe working conditions, and improve outcomes for employees in the event of a reduction in force.

A critical clarification of language regarding compensatory and flex time vs. overtime pay was necessary to accurately reflect federal wage and hour law as

BUSHNELL (7/1/2021) - While most ESP have grown accustomed to all conversations about compensation for education staff centering on teacher pay, it is particulalry worrisome that even in a time when ALL public school employees made sacrifices, took on additional responsibilities and heavier workloads, and placed themselves in harms way to help reopen schools, ESP have once again been forgotten --or worse, been fully disregarded-- by the folks elected to serve us in Tallahassee.

Quite a bit of attention was garnered when the Governor announced that he would be signing a budget that included $1000 bonuses to classroom teachers and principals as a 'thank you' for work done during the COVID pandemic. But what about our ESP? Where is the 'thank you' for their work? 

In a statement released today, the FEA reiterated the short-sightedness of bonuses paid in this manner after the state released details regarding the distribution of bonuses - now to be referred to as 'relief payments'. Districts have until July 13th to provide the state with names and information for all qualifying employees. Presumably, the checks would be processed and likely received by mid-August. 

In the meantime, some Districts around the state have already committed to making the employees left out of state bonuses whole. SCESP will be advocating that the District follow suit and make it right for our ESSENTIAL support personnel.

BUSHNELL (6/29/2021) - In preparation for the school year ahead, SCESP and District leadership have reached agreements regarding the extension of work hours for select ESP and a continuation of the paid internship option for ESP participating in the Para to Pro program through St. Leo.

You may already be aware that the federal government has made a significant investment in K12 education through its COVID relief efforts. The portion of funds meant to be distributed to local school districts in the coming months are identified as ESSER (Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief) funds