CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — School support employees in Clay County said they aren't making living wages and are asking for pay raises.
Working for the district is something school bus drivers said they love.
"They don't call us teachers and we don't get paid as teachers but we really get involved with the kids," school bus driver Keith Nichols said.
"I'm the first one they see in the morning and I'm the last one they see in the evening and I love that," school bus driver Becky Smith said.
Smith showed Action News Jax a pay check where after insurance costs and other deductions were taken out, she saw a total of $3.92 for nine hours worked.
"I'm like this is messed up," Smith said. "I thought this is a mistake but only to realize it's a not a mistake."
Smith said she's hoping citizens in Clay County step up to support their push for higher wages so that support employees can support their families.
"We take care of your children. Help us take care of ours," Smith said.
"My 6.5 hour minimum brought home about $15,000 and that was on the gross pay," Nichols said.
Nichols said cafeteria workers are struggling even more.
The Clay County School District said school bus drivers are not full time employees and said in 2013, support employees did receive $800,000 for overall salary increases from state funds.
In a statement, a spokesman for the Clay County School District said:
“Everyone wants the hard-working employees of the school district to make more money but it has to be financially sustainable. The unions have revealed on several occasions that the reason they are trying to create controversy, instead of working collaboratively is that it is part of a playbook given to them from their state union in Tallahassee. We believe the focus should be on coming together and putting classrooms and student first not a playbook.”
WJAX
