That Union Thing
Actors' Equity and the Broadway League have reached a tentative agreement for a new contract. The 39-month agreement would increase actors' compensation by 11.25 percent over the term of the agreement. The agreement must be approved by the Equity Board and ratified by Equity members before it can take effect.Teachers statewide are fighting to keep salary increases previously promised to them in negotiations. Miami-Dade schools have told teachers that they are in a financial crisis and do not have the $72 million needed to pay for raises that were negotiated to take effect on July 1. And due to another shortfall further north, the Palm Beach County School Board has not incuded any money for teacher raises in its proposed operating budget. The School Board cites reduced funding from the state, reduced interest from its bank accounts, and increased fuel costs for its financial crisis. And even further north, the University of South Florida will be slashing 450 positions. Some of the laid off employees, represented by AFSCME, have filed grievances, saying that the layoffs fail to follow procedures and job security clauses in their collective bargaining agreement.
Police and firefighters in Delray Beach are fighting cuts to their pension. During a previous negotiation, the city agreed to increase benefits rather than increase salaries, and the benefits have helped attract new officers and firefighters at a time when the city was having difficulty attracting candidates.
Meanwhile, the Broward Sheriff's Office has agreed to three-percent annual cost of living increases for the next three years, with two additional two-percent increases to take place in 2009.
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