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Labor negotiations continue between San Ramon Valley Unified School District administrators and San Ramon Valley Education Association representatives, and while they two sides have reached a consensus on some issues, many more remain unresolved.
In order to help show how far apart or close together the two sides remain on specific topics, SRVUSD officials last week published a comprehensive side-by-side comparison of the most recent SRVEA and district management proposals that includes spotlighting key topic areas still unresolved.
According to the district, key issues that are still under discussion include health and welfare, salary, class size and support for state legislation.
“The SRVUSD and its largest union, the San Ramon Valley Education Association, remain in the impasse process of negotiations. We are currently in the fact-finding stage and anticipate that work to begin at the beginning of March. The District remains optimistic that a settlement can be reached that meets the needs of our employees and is fiscally responsible both now and in the future,” district officials said.
As negotiations continue to slog onward, earlier in February SRVEA members overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike should talks completely break down.
“When we sat down to negotiate this year, we witnessed management’s broken promises from the start,” SRVEA president Ann Katzburg told DanvilleSanRamon.com.
“All of those items (in the district’s proposal) are legal requirements under the law that needed updating in our contract or were piloted programs,” she added. “The items mentioned have no financial impact on the district, except for the addition of enhancements for our leave article to include bereavement for aunts and uncles and consideration for traveling if necessary under these circumstances.”
SRVEA officials also released their own side-by-side comparison of negotiations the day mediation ended on Feb. 10. Those figures are available on www.srvea.org under the “Current Bargaining Proposals Summary” link.
SRVEA will be also holding a community town hall for residents to learn more about the process, March 12 at the San Ramon Valley High School library from 7:30-8:30 p.m.
While work still remains, district officials did note that after several successful bargaining sessions in the fall, both groups were able to reach tentative agreements on several contract articles, including: leaves, peer assistance and review, non-discrimination, association rights, resignation, organizational security and personal and academic freedom.
“We will find common ground on the remaining issues and eventually move on from the angst that has dominated the district culture around negotiations in recent months,” SRVUSD officials added.
“The board is committed to working with SRVEA members, whom they respect and admire greatly, to come to an agreement that meets their needs and maintains or improves the learning environment for students, while remaining mindful of their responsibility as elected leaders to make sound financial decisions, even when it is not the popular thing to do.”
“We went back to the table to negotiate a successor contract after our contract expired. We knew after last year’s negotiations, there was still so much more that we could do. SRVEA’s proposals are affordable,” Katzburg responded.
According to SRVUSD administrators, here are some of the conflicting proposals made by district management and SRVEA representatives:
Salary and compensation
In terms of base salary increase both sides seem to have reached an accord — pending final approval and negotiations — with both sides proposing a 2.5% salary increase for teachers.
SRVUSD officials have also offered an additional 0.06% contribution toward SRVEA members Retiree Benefits Trust and a new doctoral degree stipend to encourage higher learning.
Plus, in an apparent bid to help attract new teachers, SRVUSD have offered to allow employees who are hired in the 2020-21 school year, to transfer up to eight years of out-of-district teaching experience for salary placement credit — further adding that employees hired in the 2021-22 school year can transfer nine years of experience, and those hired in 2022-23 onward can transfer 10.
SRVEA negotiators have countered with their own proposal, and have requested that all employees hired after the 2015-16 school year be allowed to transfer 10 years of out-of-district experience for salary placement credit.
The union further requested that employees on maternity leave should only be required to complete 50% of the school year in order to receive salary advancement credit for the following year.
SRVEA’s proposal also includes a new doctoral stipend for all other advanced degrees, adds the reimbursement for licenses of social worker members, and adds a memorandum of understanding addressing the use of increased state and local revenues resulting from the November 2020 election.
Health and welfare
For non-Kaiser plans, SRVUSD management has proposed that employee contributions be based on the differences between Kaiser rates and the non-Kaiser rates, further adding that cash in lieu for employees waiving medical benefits be capped at $450 per month — prorated for part-time employees.
SRVEA reps have proposed the district clarify tiered-rates for non-Kaiser plans and provided that cash in-lieu continue to increase at the rate of the consumer price index.
Class sizes
Perhaps the most contentious talking point between the two groups, class sizes have been the key sticking point for union reps, with both sides pitching competing proposals for caps on class sizes for various age groups.
For TK-3 classes, the district proposes maintaining an average staffing level of 24:1 and adding a contractual class size cap of 26 students, and for grades 4-5 maintaining the current average staffing level of 29:1 and adding a contractual class size cap of 32.
The district further requested that after the 10th day of a class size overage, teachers in grades TK-3 and 4-5 will be paid 37.5% of credentialed hourly rate paid per day — retroactive to the first day of an overage.
SRVEA officials say these sizes will not equate to an optimal learning experience for students and have in turn proposed that TK-3 classes be staffed with a maximum of 24:1 ratio that may be exceeded by one student with no compensation and up to 26 with. Adding that grades 4-5 should be staffed with a 29:1 average and a max cap of 30 students.
Teachers also say after the 10th day of a class size overage, teachers in grades TK-3 and 4-5 will be paid 40% of credentialed hourly rate paid per day — also retroactive to the first day of an overage.
For special day classes (SDC), SRVUSD officials have also proposed that class sizes for preschool be populated with a maximum of 13 students, TK-5 max out at 12 students, grades 6-12 at 15 students and adult transition caseloads likewise max out at 15 students.
Union negotiators have made proposals seemingly close to the districts own for SDC students, proposing that preschool and TK-5 max out at 12 students.
For slightly older students in SDC classes, SRVEA officials have broken down sizes based on the level of individual students, proposing that SDC students in grades 6-12 classified as being in mild classes have a maximum size of 16 students, while those in moderate and intensive classes max out at 15 students — further adding that counseling enriched classes for 6-12 graders max out at 12.
For students in SDC adult transition courses, SRVEA has proposed that class sizes do not exceed 16.
A subsection of talks on class size, SRVEA officials have also proposed that the ratio of staff nurses be reduced to one for every 2,500 students.
‘The Schools and Communities First Initiative’
At the Board of Education’s regular meeting on Feb. 21, district officials decided to table a decision on throwing its support behind “The California Schools and Local Communities Funding Act of 2020” — an initiative which could raise $4.5 billion for K-12 education and community colleges throughout the state — in order to gather more information.
The decision was met with great disappointment by SRVEA members.
District officials have responded that while they are committed to securing increased funding from state sources, the board is hesitant to put its seal of approval on a ballot issue without first understanding the potential ramifications associated with the issue.
“When the board votes to take action on any proposition, they are sending a message that they are aware of the possible intended and unintended consequences of a measure on students, schools and the SRVUSD community. The board does not have that level of awareness at this time,” district officials said.
In their proposal, union representatives have countered that funds acquired from the initiative could be used to meet the needs of SRVEA members and desires the district to accept a memorandum of understanding based on the passing of the initiative.
“When the money comes to the district, SRVEA wants assurance our students will be our priority for use of this future funding,” Katzburg said. “Why is the SRVUSD board of education so unsure about Schools and Communities First but boards of education across California have endorsed it? SRVEA knows we will only negotiate the money if it is there. There is zero risk to management to accept this MOU.”
This is a start, opening the negotiations to the taxpayers would be next.
Unions should be exited out of public sector jobs. It is a direct conflict of interest to the taxpayer that contracts of these sorts have been negotiated and behind closed doors. And in bad faith. Who would not vote themselves raises, better benefits and a ridiculous pension and make the taxpayer pay?
This includes fireman, policeman, teachers and all other government workers.
California, and many other states, and the federal government are literally being crushed by the outrageous and ridiculously high pension, pay and benefit obligations all of you have placed on the taxpayer.
There is misinformation out there. Teachers pay into their own pension and cannot collect Social Security, even if they worked at another job prior to becoming a teacher. In other words, they cannot collect money they themselves paid. The pension is no more than they would have earned from Social Security. It’s no jackpot. There is no paid health insurance after retirement, and benefits end. Look it up.
Sarah your comments really show a lack of understanding.
First it appears you are very uninformed. Second I challenge you to walk in the shoes of a teacher, fireman and policeman. Based on your lack of compassion I don’t think you’d last a day.
But the good news is the people you want to hold down are filled with compassion to educate and save lives and property on a daily basis.
I disagree… Have you seen those pension benefits for PD and FD? Many are in the hundred of thousand per year (ever heard of pension spiking?)! In my opinion they all should move to a 401k type of system just like everyone else. We will be at a point when the debt will be too much for our community and we as a community are already feeling it…
Good artical to read from PPIC: https://www.ppic.org/publication/public-pensions-in-california/
From the artical:
The largest funds at CalPERS and CalSTRS have reported gaps of more than $138.9 billion and $107.3 billion, respectively, between their estimated obligations to retirees and the current value of their assets.
Thanks, Jerry. Good web link. Your probably aware of the website below, but if not check it out:
Transparentcalifornia.com