News

The call for SCESP Leadership Nominations is open and individuals interested in helping lead the union through the 2024-25 school year are encouraged to complete the form and submit it directly to Nikki Miner at BES by February 23rd. 

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.

The SCESP and District bargaining teams have reached final agreement on language and salary improvements for the 2021-22 school year. All employees in the Classified Support unit are eligible to participate in worksite ratification voting to be conducted on January 31st and/or February 1st (check with your site leader to confirm time and location of the ratification vote).

All ESPs in the Classified Unit are invited to attend an online Ratification Town Hall on Thursday, January 27th @ 6:30pm. Click here to register to attend.

Please review the Ratification documents prior to voting:

2021-22

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 (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