CVTA to vote to ratify Teacher’s Contract Agreement

The Coachella Valley Unified teachers’ union will vote next week on whether to ratify a recent, tentative agreement with the school district that would prevent the long-looming threat of a strike and secure pay
raises for district employees.

The new agreement was reached Friday evening, ending more than a year of tension between district officials and the Coachella Valley Teachers Association.

Provisions of the tentative agreement include a 19.85 percent salary increase that includes a one-time 3 percent bonus, two years of health coverage, early-release Wednesdays and extra time after school for instruction and planning.

The agreement would be effective until June 30, 2018.

“It is really going to help our students move forward because it is going to enhance the practices that out staff can provide to our students,” said Greg Fromm, the assistant superintendent of business and finance for CVUSD.

“We didn’t get everything that we wanted out of it, but we got most of what we were wanting and I think that we are coming out a lot stronger than we were 19 to 20 months ago,” said Carissa Carrera the first vice president of CVTA.

The union will vote Dec. 19 on whether to ratify the new agreement, with the Coachella Valley Unified School District’s Board of Trustees to vote at a special meeting following the union’s vote. Union members will also meet Wednesday to discuss the agreement’s details with district teachers.

According to the CVTA, it is the first full year’s salary raise that teachers have received in eight years.

The agreement would fend off a potential strike, which appeared more likely following stalled negotiations between the district and the teachers’ union, numerous work absences from CVUSD teachers, and a student walk-out protest at district headquarters.

There were more than 250 teacher absences at CVUSD schools in September, which CVTA President Richard Razo denied were “sick-outs” in protest of the sluggish negotiations. Teachers were also “working to rule,”‘ meaning they were not participating in any school activities outside of regular classroom hours.

A negotiation impasse between the two sides led to briefly reopened, but unsuccessful contract talks last month.