PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The Pinellas Educational Support Professionals Association (PESPA) has filed a grievance against the Pinellas County School District, alleging that support staff members were shorted between $1,000 and $2,000 in retroactive pay. 

After six months of bargaining with the school district, 172 union members of PESPA were not given their agreed-upon pay increase from June to November 2023, according to the association’s president Nelly Henjes.

Henjes says she caught the error because she is also on the school district’s payroll as a Child Development Assistant (CDA). She says many union members are unaware they were shorted, despite the fact that it was stated in their contract.

What You Need To Know

  • Pinellas Educational Support Professionals Association has filed a grievance against the Pinellas County School District, alleging that support staff members were shorted between $1,000 to $2,000 in retroactive pay

  • After six months of bargaining with the school district, 172 union members were not given their agreed-upon pay increase from June to November 2023, according to the association's president

  • The error impacts Child Development Assistants who were reclassified from a D08 to a D09

The agreement was signed in November of last year. Henjes says that the paycheck issued on Dec. 22, 2023, should have included the full retroactive wage increase.

Every year, PESPA bargains wage increases with the Pinellas County School Board (PCSB) for the over 2,200 educational support professionals employed in the district. PESPA and PCSB were in contract negotiations from June 7 until Nov. 14 and that effort resulted in pay increases for all employees including retroactive pay.

As part of the negotiations, CDAs were reclassified from a D08 to a D09.

“They have the money to pay them what they owe them,” Henjes said.

Henjes believes that CDAs play a crucial role in the classroom as they perform instructional duties, such as collaborating on the curriculum and planning.

“We need respect. They need to understand that we are part of the school system. If you do not have any educational support professional working in Pinellas County School, we don’t run,” Henjes said.

According to Henjes, the support staff are being paid significantly less than what they deserve despite their valuable contributions.

“We are part of the community. We cannot survive if we don’t have the money we deserve,” she said.

PESPA says it has notified the district multiple times via email and conversation but has yet to receive a response.

The Pinellas County School District told Spectrum News that it cannot make any remarks on that matter at this time.