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The Las Lomitas Education Association rejected the district’s offer of a 5.5% raise, $3,070 increase in health and wellness benefits and a $3,311 tenure stipend on Sunday, Oct. 20, according to an email sent out to district parents Monday, Oct. 21. The LLEA informed the district that they will strike starting Wednesday if an agreement is not reached.
If the strike happens, the district says schools will remain open but district transportation will only be available to students in the Tinsley Voluntary Transfer Program and Strategies classes because other school employees will likely go on a sympathy strike. Additionally, all after school programs will be canceled and any student absences will be excused.
The LLEA has insisted on at least a 10% raise and an increase in health and wellness benefits, which the district argues is excessive and would deplete their reserves.
A fact-finding report from Impartial Chairperson Cheryl Stevens on the Public Employment Relations Board recommended a one-year 7% raise, a $1,972 increase in health benefits, and a “floating cap” of 110% of dental, vision and life insurance, which means the district will cover up to 110% of the current premiums in case of increases. Stevens also recommended a two-year agreement of a 6% increase for 2023-24 and a 5% increase for 2024-25 and 100% of the 2025 insurance premium.
The report concluded that an increase of more than 5% would not severely impact the district’s ability to pay for operating expenses but an increase of 10% would have a significant impact on district reserves. The report seems to imply that the district could eventually cope with the 10% increase by reprioritising spending, which the district strongly denies.
Both the district and the LLEA rejected the recommendations in the report.
The district claims they have an 85% retention rate which is evidence that teaching staff enjoy working in the district; the LLEA disputes this claim.
In the district’s dissent, they claim the recommendation of a 7% raise would cause their reserves to plummet from 55% to 12% by 2026-27 and the two-year recommendation would cause reserves to decrease to 9%. Both of these figures assume no increase during the next contract negotiations and no changes to district spending, both are unlikely.
LLEA’s dissent claims that Stevens was biased against the LLEA and “too deferential to management’s excuses and outright refusal to reprioritize [its] bloated administrative budget.” The dissent also accuses the district of “educational fraud” for having significant administrative personnel.
LLEA plans to strike if an agreement can not be reached by Tuesday tonight.
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