CUSD/CSEA

District – CSEA Chapter 250 Negotiations Update: May & June 2024

Another school year has come to an end and all District employees played a critical role in making it a success! The District recognizes that we are in month 11 of negotiations with CSEA Chapter 250, and this update provides information about the status of negotiations between the District and CSEA Chapter 250 as of June of 2024.

Since we entered into negotiations, CSEA Chapter 250 and the District have met 28 times in an effort to reach mutual agreement over a new contract. On March 14, 2024, CUSD was informed that the Chapter 250 bargaining team and executive board were removed by the state CSEA and Chapter 250 had been placed in “Administratorship” status. At that time, an individual from within the CSEA organization, Estella Kessler was appointed as administrator for Chapter 250.

After that, CUSD negotiators met twice with three state CSEA representatives who took over the negotiations on behalf of local Chapter 250 members. These meetings resulted in the tentative agreement between the CSEA Chapter 250 negotiating team and the District that was rejected by CSEA voting membership on April 4.

On April 26, 2024, CSEA informed CUSD that it had appointed a new negotiating team for Chapter 250 that includes five CUSD employees. Labor Representative Ernest Grijalva, Estella Kessler, and CSEA Senior Labor Representative Lucas Long now round out the Chapter 250 negotiating team.

CUSD and Chapter 250 representatives met on April 29, 2024, at which time the District hoped for clarification on the unexpected changes in Chapter 250 leadership and how that might have impacted the tentative agreement. No clarification was provided by CSEA.

In May, the District initiated and CSEA agreed to jointly file a declaration with PERB that the parties are at an impasse. When contract negotiations reach an impasse, PERB assigns an impartial third party to meet with both parties and make recommendations for settlement. PERB has assigned a mediator and an initial mediation meeting between the mediator, CSEA and the District is scheduled for June 17.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can you clarify the purpose of the Market Study?

A. The purpose of the Market Study was to ensure our salary schedules and individual positions were competitive compared to others in our sector of the economy. In the bargaining unit, salary adjustments varied for positions depending on the results of this third party study of the District's salary schedules. Not every bargaining unit member or position received the same salary adjustment. Those adjustments were based on the many different job titles in the unit and what the study's findings were for each of those positions. The outcomes of the Market Study remain available on the District's web page under the Human Resources/Salaries link.

Q. What is the Unfair Practice Charge SA-CE-3134-E?

A. The District and Chapter 250 have a hearing scheduled for July 9-11, 2024 related to an unfair practice charge filed by Chapter 250 concerning interpretation of the prior contract's "Me Too" provision and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Chapter 250 in May 2021. At the time, CSEA 250 was the only exclusive representative of District employees. Both sides will have an opportunity to question witnesses and present evidence regarding the issues raised in the complaint. An administrative law judge will make a proposed decision after considering all the evidence presented.

Q. What are Successor Contract Negotiations?

A. The District and Chapter 250 have a contract that outlines agreements around work and working conditions. That contract expired June 30, 2023. After 11 months of attempts to reach agreement over a new contract (In what are called Successor Contract Negotiations) the two parties have failed to reach mutual agreement and have agreed to declare impasse. The District and Chapter 250 are scheduled to meet with a mediator on June 17, 2024 in an effort to resolve remaining issues and reach agreement.

Summary

After 11 months of negotiations, the District and CSEA Chapter 250 have entered Impasse, and are working with a third party mediator in the hopes of reaching mutual agreement over a contract.
The May 2021 MOU regarding a “Me Too” was signed when CSEA Chapter 250 was the only existing and recognized employee organization who had the right to negotiate its own CBA.

CSEA Chapter 250 received the same salary increase as any other employee organization for the 2020-2021, 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years based on the “Me Too” MOU.

CSEA Chapter 250 received all salary schedule increases resulting from the Market Study based on the Market Study MOU that was signed February 2023.

In May 2023, CSEA Chapter 250 representatives were offered the opportunity to accept the 5.5% salary increase provided to other employee groups at that time. This opportunity was rejected by CSEA Chapter 250 and the CBA was reopened for negotiations.