California Educator

June 2013

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BARGAINING < Bargaining Updates Ramona educators approve difficult agreement With help from the Public Employment Relations Board, the Ramona Teachers Association fended off illegal cuts imposed by Ramona Unified and reached an agreement with the district May 29. The two-year agreement calls for a 4.06 percent cut for 201213 with six furlough days and a few minor concessions, and a 6.39 percent cut for 2013-14 with 5.5 furlough days and splitting the cost of benefits 85/15 percent. Beginning 2014-15, most contract provisions will be restored to pre-imposition levels. "It's not a pretty settlement, but it is much better than an imposition that would have extracted almost 27 percent from our members over three years," says RTA President Donna Braye-Romero. Across the state, CTA members are fighting for improved teaching conditions and professional compensation. Find out more at www.cta.org/ bargainingupdates. "This agreement is a step in the right direction," says FUDTA President Brannin Dorsey. She is disappointed, though, that the district dragged out state-mediated negotiations and refused to bargain over soaring class sizes. UTR educators ratify agreement United Teachers of Richmond members ratified an agreement for a three-year contract that provides a restoration of two in-service days, a 1.15 percent increase in the salary schedule effective May 1, 2013, and an increase in their district's contributions to health benefits. UTR represents 1,560 educators in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Teachers had voted down an earlier settlement offer. The union will return to the table in September to bargain the results of the state budget. San Lorenzo teachers win tentative agreement After months of community mobilization, San Lorenzo Unified agreed to spend some of its reserves — which amount to 16 percent of Coronado educators protect 24 jobs After the Coronado Unified School District in San Diego County its budget, when the state only requires 3 percent — on a fair contract issued 24 layoff notices this year and settlement. The tentative agreement was demanded furlough days for the fourth year reached May 31. in a row, members of the Association of San Lorenzo Education AssociaCoronado Teachers ramped up organizing. tion President Donna Pinkney calls the They successfully negotiated the reinstateagreement a good first step. "It restores ment of all 24 teaching positions, along with some of the deep cuts that were made in reinstatement of a 185-day work year. recent years." "We eagerly look forward to going back to If ratified, it provides a 3.5 percent Richmond the table next year and continuing to work raise for 2013-14 and a one-time 2 Fremont with CTA on behalf of our members," says percent bonus. It also reduces K-3 class San Lorenzo ACT President Laura Noonan. sizes and restores 2.5 of three counselor Madera San Jose positions cut during the recession. Cambrian district teachers Meanwhile, obstructive SuperintenPalmdale in San Jose are fed up dent Dennis Byas, who was lambasted Cambrian School District educators at a May 17 community protest rally, in San Jose wore black at school board announced he is retiring. meetings in May and June to protest the disrespectful tone of contract negotiations. Palmdale district declares impasse Coronado Ramona The district is offering a one-time 5 percent The Palmdale Elementary Teachers bonus, says Cambrian District Teachers AsAssociation in Los Angeles County held sociation President Alicia Williamson. a massive rally May 21 before a school "The teachers here are fed up. The district is basically offering us board meeting in an effort to bring the district back to the bargaining nothing in terms of ongoing raises." table after the district unilaterally declared impasse. Cambrian educators have not had a raise in seven years, and are At issue is the district's insistence on an 8 percent salary cut for two years, a hard cap on health benefits, and nine furlough days that PETA concerned about rising class sizes. determined to be unnecessary. Madera teachers pack school board meeting "We have helped this district through its financial challenges going Hundreds of frustrated teachers flooded the Madera Unified school all the way back to 2005," says PETA President Hugo Estrada. "We board meeting May 28 to demand that the district return to the barhave not had a pay raise since 2007. Enough is enough." gaining table. The Madera Unified Teachers Association and the district are at Fremont teachers win first raises since 2007 In late May, Fremont Unified District Teachers Association members impasse and are awaiting a report from an independent fact-finding panel. Teachers have gone without a contract for almost a year. ratified a three-year contract that provides their first negotiated raises MUTA President Kathy Horn says, "It's unconscionable for since 2007. the district to hoard millions in reserves at the expense of its teachers. Educators will get a one-time 4 percent payment this school year, We have not asked for a penny. All we've asked for is a status and 1.5 percent on the salary schedule for 2013-14, with a potential quo agreement." for another 0.5 percent. June/July 2013 www.cta.org Educator 06 June 2013 v2.0.indd 25 25 6/14/13 9:30 PM

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