Union County Public School teachers are again urging local officials to fulfill the promise of a $2,000 salary increase, a commitment made earlier this year yet not fully realized. The ongoing debate reached a new level of intensity during Monday night’s board of commissioners meeting, marking another chapter in the teachers’ fight for fair compensation.
Recently, teachers vocally opposed a decision at a Union County Public Schools (UCPS) Board meeting to provide only a $1,000 raise—half of what was originally promised. This dissatisfaction carried over to the county board meeting, with many educators attributing the shortfall to the county’s failure to approve the full budget request earlier in the year.
Pamela Carlton, president of the Union County chapter of the North Carolina Association of Educators, stressed the inadequacy of the proposed $1,000 increase. “A thousand dollars is not a lot of money. You guys should find it somewhere,” she asserted, highlighting the district’s top-ranking performance in the state. “We shouldn’t have to beg. We made this county No. 1,” Carlton emphasized.
Frustration was palpable among attendees like Colleen MacIntyre, who criticized both the school and county boards for the ongoing dispute. “To be frank, it does not matter whose fault it is. Both boards have continued to show us the same clear message — that we are not valued,” MacIntyre stated.
The tension was apparent during Commissioner Christina Helms’ Thanksgiving message, which inadvertently drew laughter from the crowd when she mentioned the concept of appreciation. “OK, that was completely unnecessary, but thank you,” Helms remarked in response to the reaction.
Commissioner Brian Helms addressed the comments, pointing out that Union County is ranked sixth in the state for overall school funding, primarily due to county contributions. He noted, however, that state and federal funding levels remain low. “That tells me that local funding is not the issue,” he concluded.
Despite his comments, the atmosphere remained tense as the meeting ended with audible dissatisfaction from the audience as Board Chair Melissa Merrell adjourned the session.
