SCSD NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE: April 15, 2024
Background:
CSEA and the District started negotiations in October. After several bargaining sessions, representatives for CSEA and the District (also known as “parties”) were unable to reach an agreement. As a result, CSEA and the District jointly filed for impasse in January.
What are the area(s) of disagreement?
As you may know, the District settled with the teachers union in June 2023 for the 2023-24 school year for a total compensation of 5%.
During the course of early negotiations the District proposed a 5% total compensation package to CSEA:
- either at 5% total compensation to match the teachers,
- or a 4.28% salary increase and the coverage of the increased cost of Kaiser health and welfare benefits.
CSEA rejected both options.
The District’s last best offer to CSEA matches the offer that was accepted by the teachers union. This offer includes a 5% salary increase for the 2023-24 school year, retroactive to July 1, 2023. The offer also includes an increase to the Special Education Paraeducator job classification from Range 28 to Range 30 on the CSEA salary schedule retroactive to July 1, 2023. The District’s offer did not include an increase to health and welfare benefits in its last best offer.
CSEA’s last best offer to the District includes a 5% salary increase for the 2023-24 school year, retroactive to July 1, 2023, and a proposal that members be retroactively compensated for overtime at the increased salary rate. CSEA’s last best offer also includes an increase in health and welfare benefits equal to the increase in Kaiser plan rates for calendar year 2024.
What is Impasse?
Impasse occurs when two negotiating parties are unable to reach an agreement. The first mandatory step in the impasse process under State bargaining law is to work with a State-appointed neutral mediator to see if an agreement can be reached with their assistance. It is important to note that all conversations occurring during mediation are confidential. The parties met with the State-appointed mediator on March 18, 2024, and the mediation process was not successful. The State-appointed mediator then assigned the parties to the next mandatory step in the impasse process, which is called fact finding.
What is Fact Finding?
Fact Finding is a process used by two negotiating parties at impasse to submit factual evidence to a “panel.” The panel consists of three people: a neutral person (either State-appointed, or jointly selected by the parties), and one person selected by each party. The panel will receive the evidence and make recommendations to the parties for a settlement in what is called a “fact finding report.”
The fact finding report is advisory only and provides recommended terms of settlement for consideration by the parties. The District must make the fact finding report public within 10 days of receipt.
How long does the Fact Finding process take?
The District believes that the process will be completed within three months, depending on several variables, such as the timing and length of the fact finding hearing and whether the parties engage in negotiations following the conclusion of the fact finding process.
Continued commitment to good faith negotiations
The District will continue to negotiate in good faith to resolve remaining issues by participating fully and with positive intent in the fact finding process to reach a settlement that best serves our students and our District community.
Hans Barber, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services and Human Resources
Jennifer Smith, Director of Human Resources
Chelsea Tibbs, Legal Counsel