School District of Lee County files for impasse in contract negotiations with teachers union

The School District of Lee County has announced that it has filed for an impasse in the ongoing contract negotiations with the Teachers Association of Lee County. The move comes after eight months of negotiations between the district and TALC. The district said it filed for an impasse because it determined that further bargaining sessions without substantial movement would only prolong the process. Under Florida law, the impasse process allows negotiations to continue while moving the dispute toward a resolution. The district said it has offered a $27.8 million package for teacher salaries. The district accuses TALC of refusing to pay $3.6 million for additional teacher salary funding and said TALC has not accepted its proposal or offered a counterproposal. “Filing for impasse is not a decision we made lightly, but our teachers should not be asked to wait any longer,” said Superintendent Denise Carlin. "Our schools are 99.9% staffed with certified teachers, and our students just produced their best results in a decade. The impasse process will move these negotiations toward the certainty and resolution teachers deserve.” TALC has not yet responded to the district's announcement. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.