A pair of memorandums of understanding regarding potential salary increases for William S. Hart Union High School District union employees were approved at Wednesday’s governing board meeting.
Both the Hart District Teachers Association and the California School Employees Association Chapter 349, which represents classified employees in the district, have agreed not to negotiate on salaries in the upcoming negotiating sessions for the 2024-25 school year. However, should the cost-of-living adjustment provided by the state be 2.5% or higher, salaries would then be on the table, according to the MOUs.
The unions would have to file to open salaries for negotiations by Dec. 31.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a $297.9 billion spending plan last month that calls for a 1.07% COLA for school districts. The initial budget proposal in January had larger cuts to school funding, but $5.5 billion of that was delayed until future years, as reported by CalMatters.
Should additional education trailer bills be passed by the Legislature that increase the COLA, both unions have protected employees from not having a chance to negotiate for part of that funding.
The HDTA received 2% salary increases and 2% one-time payments as part of negotiations for the 2023-24 contract. The CSEA chapter agreed to the same terms and that contract was initially up for ratification on Wednesday, but had to be pulled due to the Los Angeles County Office of Education needing to sign off prior to board approval, according to Collyn Nielsen, assistant superintendent of human resources.
That contract is set to be reintroduced for ratification at the board’s Aug. 21 meeting.
While salaries are not being negotiated, the unions are beginning the process of negotiating on other aspects of their contracts. The CSEA chapter’s proposal to sunshine 18 articles of its contract, and the district’s proposal to sunshine four articles, were acknowledged by the board on Wednesday.
“This is where both sides share with the public and the board, what they intend to bargain for the upcoming school year so that public has a chance to weigh in and make comments, if they so desire,” Nielsen said.
Public hearings for both proposals were heard at the meeting. No comments were reported as being received.
The HDTA’s proposal to sunshine articles for negotiations is likely to be introduced at the board’s Aug. 21 meeting as well, according to John Minkus, president of the HDTA. The board had previously acknowledged the district’s proposal to sunshine three articles for negotiations.