AUSD and Teachers’ Union at Impasse

Friday, 18 November 2011 00:31

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Alameda Unified School District and Teachers’ Union at Impasse
PERB Certifies that AUSD and Teachers Are at Impasse over Discussions about Class Size
Parties Head to Mediation

Alameda, November 17, 2011 – After ten months of bargaining sessions, the District and the teachers’ union are unable to negotiate an agreement on class size maximums for the 2012/13 school year. Accordingly, the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) has granted the District’s request to certify that the parties are at impasse. PERB will now appoint a neutral mediator to assist the District and union in reaching an agreement. You can view a copy of the District’s Request for Impasse Determination and Appointment of a Mediator at http://www.alameda.k12.ca.us/index.php/home/labor-negotiations .

The District previously sought the help of a mediator to assist the parties in reaching agreement but the teachers’ union disagreed that the parties were at impasse and offered to make another proposal at the bargaining table. On November 7, the union made another proposal which conceded temporary contract language on class size but sought significant salary and medical benefit increases over a three year period. The union’s proposal would cost the District a minimum of $7.7 million annually or $23.5 million over the three year term of the proposal. The District rejected the proposal and made a counter-offer on class size which the union subsequently rejected.

“We are hopeful that with the assistance of a mediator we can reach a fiscally responsible agreement with our teachers that is good for both students and teachers. The reason we are negotiating class size now, before full contract negotiations begin in January, is to stabilize enrollment and staffing and prevent disruptive diversions of large numbers of students from their neighborhood schools and live within foreseeable funding levels. Unfortunately, the union’s last proposal moved us further from agreement as it would have cost millions more in on-going expenses. I remain committed to negotiating equitable proposals for all of our employees once we have a better understanding of the state budget in January,” stated Superintendent Vital.

Consistent with the promise of Measure A to fund K-3 classes at a student to teacher ratio of 25:1, the District is seeking to ensure that K-3 class sizes do not exceed 25:1. The union has refused the District’s proposal to alter class size language in the contract and stated that it will not negotiate class size or agree to 25:1 without additional compensation in the form or salary and/or benefits. The District has already allocated/budgeted the $12 million of Measure A funds for this school year with over $8 million directly allocated to classroom teachers and counselors.

Superintendent Vital summarized the reason for the District’s position: “California’s fiscal crisis and political gridlock of recent years continues to be a reality and the District cannot afford to incur additional expenses by reducing class sizes further. Our long-term objective in these and future negotiations with our employee groups is to negotiate fair agreements with our employees while also conservatively managing our funds so that Alameda can weather the state financial crisis without jeopardizing our core programs and without further disruption to our students and families.”

The only way that the District has been able to maintain small K-3 classes at 25:1 is through the use of Measure A funds. To further reduce class sizes to 20 as the teachers’ union is asking, the District would need to make additional on-going budget reductions that it cannot afford to make if it is still going to protect the many core educational programs that our community so highly values. In addition to substantial negative fiscal implications, restructuring class sizes from 25 to 20 would be extremely disruptive to elementary families district-wide. Preliminary analysis indicates that approximately 180 K-3 students would be diverted from their current neighborhood elementary schools in order to revert to 20:1.

 

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