SEBRING SCHOOLS Health insurance, salary key to talks with teachers
SEBRING -- Health insurance and salary are the key issues in the negotiations stalemate between the Sebring Board of Education and the Sebring Local Education Association, Superintendent Howard Friend said.
Negotiations between the SLEA and the school board began May 16. Impasse was declared July 26, and the contract expired Aug. 31.
Friend said negotiations teams have made some progress and are waiting for a federal mediator to schedule another meeting.
The 59-member teachers union voted Tuesday to authorize its negotiations team to issue a strike notice to the school board. JoAnn Jones, SLEA spokeswoman, said in a prepared statement that teachers are eager to resolve the stalemate but want a fair and equitable agreement.
Friend said the board wants the same thing, but such an agreement must also be one that keeps the district financially stable.
The union vote gives the teachers' negotiating team authority to issue a strike notice at any time, but an additional vote of the membership is required before a strike could occur.