Torrance Teachers Association Condemns TUSD School Board Decision to Impose Salary Increase and New School Calendar
Much to the dismay of the Torrance Teachers Association (TTA), the TUSD School Board adopted a resolution at its meeting last night that imposed new terms and conditions of employment for Torrance teachers. The conditions included a 1% salary increase which applied retroactively to January 1, 2018 and a new pre-Labor Day work calendar that will commence with the 2019-20 school year. The pre-Labor Day calendar will have teachers beginning work on August 22nd in 2019 versus a September 4th start date slated for 2018. Teachers last day will move from June 21st to June 12th.
The move came after the District and TTA had exhausted negotiation impasse proceedings which included formal mediation and a fact-finding hearing before a three member panel held on May 4, 2018. The parties also met on June 4, 2018 in a post fact-finding negotiation session, but remained at an impasse after that meeting.
TUSD’s decision to impose the salary increase is consistent with the fact-finding panel’s recommendation. That panel also recommended that TUSD implement a pre-Labor Day calendar beginning this fall in 2018. The School Board, however, opted to delay implementation of the new calendar to 2019-20 instead of 2018-19 in order to give families, students, and staff time to plan for the new calendar.
TTA forcefully condemned the decision. TTA President Deborah Tabush commented at the meeting that:
“The Resolution undermines the fundamental trust between TUSD and its employees. It is a violation of the law … It is not only unscrupulous but damaging to any goodwill that remains between TUSD and its employees.”
In a follow-up message, TTA posted the below to its Facebook page today:
Last night at the July 16th TUSD School Board Meeting, the District made an unprecedented move to impose a low ball salary increase and school calendar for 2019-20. Although the salary increase was part of the Fact Finding panel’s recommendation, the 2019-20 calendar was not. In a clearly political move and without even the opportunity to negotiate in the new bargaining year, the TUSD School Board unanimously voted to ignore the Fact Finding panel’s recommendation and impose the change on teachers without dialogue. Although we recognize TUSD’s desire to change the calendar, this was not about that at all. This was clearly a political move and a power play to shut teachers and other employees down. What has happened to the TUSD we all knew and loved?#Vote Them Out!
Board member Mark Steffen, who also announced he would not be running for re-election this fall, summarized his feelings by stating:
“This is sad moment that the relationship has broken down this way. It didn’t need to happen but it did. This will take years to repair the damage and the trust and the relationship between the District and the union.”
He later suggested the District might want to bring in a counselor to help the parties begin to repair the relationship.
The resolution passed by unanimous vote with no other Board members besides Steffen offering any comments on the subject at the meeting.
So funny after TTA spent thousands of dollars backing up and reelecting Don Lee and Terry Ragins, now they call for votethemout.
Let’s see if they back up any new blood at the next election.
we can start saving money by eliminating the Personnel Commission…check the last four appointed by the Union…three have the same last name…guess who?
Personnel Commission handles classified employees. Not teachers.
So, let me get this straight: the teachers didn’t want a change in calendar, the FF panel recommended making the change for this upcoming year, the Board delayed that recommendation to next year, and this was all political? Ugh!!
So I assume that these positions are paid positions? nepotism ?
The Personnel Commission Budget comes out of the General Fund…the Director alone salary request is not over 150 thousand…plus high paying staff…most Districts do not have a Personnel Commission…let alone the Commissioners get Full Management Benefits..but of course one of the frequent posters is so well aware of this….and of course ignores the same last name appointment of three Union appointments to the Commission.
Do you know how much work the tiny personnel department (including its director) does for our district? You think the district HR department could handle classified personnel? They can barely handle certificated personnel. If we did away with the personnel department, all of the employees would need to be moved over to HR anyway just to handle the increased work load and none of that cost would be saved.
Well then if they were rolled over you would lose 1 manager position …. that’s less cost to run a dept.
no. they’d likely move her over too as hr director in charge of classified personnel. just no commission to protect classified employee rights. then we go back to the old days where classified employees took the brunt of all layoffs and received almost no compensation increases of any kind. oh and hiring was 100% nepotism instead of requiring processes.
you said…”100% nepotism instead of requiring processes”….Isn’t the DIRECTORS last name Furey….. TERRY FUREY the WIFE of the mayor…… you are saying there is NO nepotism ??
Please…NO Family members should ever be hired in city positions especially if is the MAYOR …
1. school district isnt the city. 2. these are appointed positions, specifically appointed by a labor union. Not related to the Mayor at all.
So a LABOR union put Terry Furey in that position as a what …leverage for the mayor??
Speaking of Truth…Torrance…LOL…does anyone out here not think that Anonymous was on the Personnel Commission…could Truth reappear but avoid and answer….
Oh ye of creative anonymous names. Is it the Ambassador of Lying or the Italian Mob Boss dreaming of being a real politicians? The writing style gives it away.
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oh gee…so obvious ..you could have opened the Truth account for one..unless password change..
does it start with F?
Who are you talking to?
Incredulous. And we expect our children to play nice in the sandbox…
Shame shame. Shameful – and you all know it.
Regards,
Bradley D. Thornton
Thats funny equating children with Govt…
If the union is so appalled by the small pay rise, why did the union leadership ask us to ratify the contract in September/October of 2017 with a 1% raise? Furthermore, why wasn’t the union membership ever notified that a 2% was even on the table until well after talks broke down?
And the contract to be ratified had the starting/ending time for the new school year in it. This from the “The Torrance Teacher” October 30, 2017: “It was also expressed by some members that a calendar shift is not something the membership is interested in at this time. Although multiple surveys have shown that the membership is divided on when to start the school year, the results of this vote was clear and sends a strong message.” Why did leadership choose to argue against the calendar change instead of for it when “multiple surveys” have shown membership is divided?
One percent when Dr. Manon’s salary and benefits went up over 24% in the last 4 years and WHAT does he do except clime the administrative ladder? Mouth piece?