TAMPA, Fla. — They are the people who feed and transport your kids throughout the school day and keep their learning environments clean.
However, when these workers go home to their own children, they are having a hard time making ends meet.
RELATED: Hillsborough bus drivers voice frustrations at school board meeting
The Hillsborough School Employees Union is currently negotiating with the school district over raises for school bus drivers, custodians and food service workers. The union is pushing the district to pay employees a wage that would get them above the poverty level.
It’s been an ongoing issue for workers within the district, and it comes not long after the school board considered proposals to privatizing custodial work to save money.
RELATED: No deal for frustrated school bus drivers bargaining with cash-strapped district
Union representatives say the lack of livable wages is especially frustrating given the support union workers gave to the district when it was pushing to pass the half-cent sales tax referendum, which provides millions of dollars for capital improvements for schools.
Emerald Morrow is a reporter with 10News WTSP. Like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. You can also email her at emorrow@wtsp.com.
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