Legislators still have not reached an agreement on a budget due to the fact that they are trying to reach consensus on a salary increase for teachers.
The House has increased its proposed average salary increase to 6 percent while keeping longevity pay as a separate bonus.
The Senate’s offer is an average raise of 8 percent that includes longevity being folded into the pay step at a rate that corresponds to the years for longevity eligibility. This is not a true raise for those currently earning longevity. You cannot take the percent represented by longevity, which an eligible employee is currently receiving, add that to an additional new percentage increase, and report the percentage increase as a new raise.
Longevity is a bonus and reward for loyal state years of service for working in North Carolina, not compensation to be used to fund salary steps.
You know what will happen if they go home at the end of the week without a budget update… educators will lose because we will not get any kind of raise at all!
