SBUnified
Tentative Agreements Reached on Sick Leave and Bereavement Leave – District Presents Initial Proposal on Health and Welfare Benefits
Introduction
This is Santa Barbara Unified School District’s (SBUSD) first Negotiations Update for 2024-2025 successor contract negotiations between the District and the California School Employee Association (CSEA). “Successor” negotiations means all sections of the contract can potentially be discussed. The District will distribute the Negotiations Update after meetings with CSEA to inform our community on the progress of negotiations.
The District and CSEA met for their first session on February 8, 2024. Before CSEA presented its two initial proposals, the District negotiations team presented its “Core Values in Negotiations” which serves as the District’s criteria to analyze proposals and counterproposals during these negotiations:
SBUSD Core Values In Negotiations
- Improve student outcomes
- Support quality educators to promote success for all students
- Remain fiscally solvent in both the short and long term
- Be transparent and adhere to our agreements
- Pursue coherence and clarity of purpose while acknowledging diverse needs across the District
- Be passionate about the issues through respectful dialogue
Tentative Agreement Reached on Sick Leave
CSEA and the District reached a tentative agreement to add a category of leave to the collective bargaining agreement called Family Illness Leave. Under this tentative agreement, 12 month employees compelled to be absent to take care of ill or injured immediate family members will receive 5 days of family illness leave. Employees serving less than 12 months or less than full time will be issued this leave proportionally.
The District and CSEA Reach Tentative Agreement on Bereavement Leave
The tentative agreement allows employees who lose a spouse, domestic partner, or child will be allowed to take up to 15 days of bereavement leave. This is an increase to the current contract that allows 7 days of bereavement.
This agreement also included the addition of a new article in the contract called Reproductive Loss Leave. Under this article classified employees may use 5 days of the new family illness leave to cover a reproductive loss, and allows up to 20 days for any additional reproductive loss events that may occur in one calendar year.
District Proposes to Increase Contribution to Cover 75% of Medical Premiums
Currently, the District covers 40% to 60% of medical benefits premium cost, and absent a new agreement the employee will need to cover 99% of any increase in the premiums. Under its new proposal, effective July 1, 2024, the District would cover 75% of medical benefit premium costs (including future premium increases).
Next Steps:
The next negotiation session is on February 26, March 7, March 18, and April 3.
Is the district now meeting with the state union because the local union couldn’t come to an agreement?
ANON – yes, I believe so. They declared an impasse a few weeks ago, which basically ended any further negotiations between the teachers and the district.
The next step for the educator’s bargaining is mediation. The bargaining teams will be meeting with a state appointed mediator on March 5, he will work with both sides for at least one day, maybe more, to see if there is a way to come to an agreement over salary and one other proposal.
No, SAC, this is unrelated to SBTA bargaining.
Oh, my bad. Thanks for clearing that up!
This is in regards to bargaining with CSEA, those who are not educators, they are the secretaries, para-educators, our custodians and groundskeepers. While they don’t have a classroom or counseling caseload they are the ones who keep our classrooms running smoothly and help families feel welcome to our schools. The teacher’s union fully supports them in their bargaining goals.
There are 2 groups of school employees.
Classified staff consists of school employees that do not need certification or licensure to be qualified for the job.
Certified staff must have certificate that proves they have obtained the necessary credentials and knowledge for the position (for instance, teachers, librarians, counselors, media specialists, psychologists, principals)
CSEA represents classified staff.
SB “Unified” is a sinking ship. Unfortunately, they’re apparently not worried about taking down all our communities’ kids with them. They’ve made that clear, the Board and Hilda, that is. I’m thinking a big march with torches and pitchforks might give them a clue?
How about WAGES Hilda, et al?