SACRAMENTO, Calif. —þThe superintendent for the Sacramento City Unified School District attended negotiations late Wednesday night, sources tell KCRA 3. However, no agreement was reached and both sides are ÿdone for the night,ÿ according to the teachers union.þþThis day marked bolder moves by the unions at a standstill in negotiations with the school district, as bargaining teams representing teachers and staff on strike marched into the district's office and vowed not to leave until an agreement was reached.þþAs of Wednesday, eight days have passed since the strike began, and students have gone six of those days without instruction. Students will go a seventh day without being in the classroom on Thursday after SCUSD and the unions finished negotiations once again with no agreement made.þþUnion members first gathered for a rally outside the Serna Center before bargaining teams for the Sacramento Teachers Association and Service Employees International Union 1021 entered the district building, KCRA 3’s Lysée Mitri reported.þþUnion members told KCRA 3 they believe the district hasn't had a sense of urgency about ending the strike.þþÿWe're available. We're serious about it,ÿ said David Fisher, Sacramento City Teachers Association President. ÿIt's easier to make someone wait when you're sitting on Zoom, and everyone's in their own location.ÿþþThat is why, they said, they showed up altogether in person at the Serna Center on 47th Avenue near Stockton Boulevard even though negotiations have been taking place virtually.þþIn a message to families Wednesday evening, SCUSD stated, ÿWe are continuing work toward a path forward that will allow us to honor and value staff while also making sound financial decisions that safeguard current and future opportunities and services for our students.ÿþþWhere SCUSD-SCTA negotiations standþAlthough the talks had been appearing to make progress, the SCTA said on Wednesday that the latest round had seemed to be moving backward with the district making new demands for more standardized testing and a rollback in retiree benefits.þþThe district did not directly address that claim, telling KCRA 3 its most recent proposal is on its website and that negotiations with SCTA will continue on Wednesday.þþSCUSD has said that its recent offer included increases in one-time stipends offered to teachers, up from 1% to 1.5% for 2019 to 2021 school years, and 3% for the 2021-22 school year, up from 2%.þþIn terms of health care, the district is now offering to pay 100% of an employee’s health plan for those who choose to stay with HealthNet for one year, while the district looks for an alternative plan to Kaiser.þþThey’ve also offered a $3,000 bonus for anyone switching to Kaiser from the more expensive HealthNet plan.þþAnother sticking point is staffing. The district has offered to increase the signing bonus for new teachers from $2,000 to $3,000.þþIn all, the district says its latest offer to the union would give a 9.65% increase in compensation via one-time stipends and an ongoing salary increase.þþThe teachers unions say the district is well-positioned to accommodate their wishes due to COVID-19-related funding, though the district explains those funds are ÿone-time fundsÿ and are not sustainable to increase wages and salaries.þþ
Source: kcra.com
