Santa Barbara teachers rally over wages and workload
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-Teachers inspired drivers to honk their horns outside the Santa Barbara Unified School District.
They held up signs about wages, and inflation and chanted, "Fair pay, teachers stay."
Their issues were not on the school board agenda on Tuesday night, but they planned to have representatives talk during public comments.
They are concerned about class size, prep time and case loads for Special-Education teachers, just to name a few.
Union Representative Joel Block said they are the lowest salaried union in the Santa Barbara area and in the county.
He also said they are in the bottom half of salary and health care for the state.
"We got a two percent raise," said Block, "everybody else is getting 4-and-10-percent. We asked them because of inflation to negotiate again and they have refused."
They met at the negotiating table in early April, but feel their issues were met with resistance.
Santa Barbara High School Special Ed Teacher Kate Lambert spoke quickly during public comments.
"I am educated but living paycheck to paycheck, I have 6 and a half years of higher education but I can't afford to be an independent person in this community," said Lambert, " I have learned that I must attach myself to someone else if I want to survive here. I am lucky I have elderly parents so I can pretend that I moved in with them at 40 because I want to help them, they don't need my help I do."
She said the district needs to help .
"You need to get us to stay," said Lambert.
Teachers packed in the overflow room and in every doorway applauded as they shared her sentiment.
The SBUSD issued the following statement:
"It has been a few years since the District negotiated a new contract with one of its labor partners, the Santa Barbara Teachers Association (SBTA). This is because we were fortunate to reach a 3-year agreement for the 2021-2024 school years, which provided a guaranteed salary increase in an unprecedented time of uncertainty.
Our collective bargaining law requires the District and its labor partners negotiate over a variety of issues (including salaries and benefits) in a good-faith effort to reach an agreement. Part of the three-year mutual agreement was no reopeners on Wages or Benefits. The District and SBTA will negotiate Wages and Benefits anew for the 2024-2025 school year.
The District acknowledges, however, the economic factors at play in our area (and much of California), as external forces beyond our control and our limited revenue resources continue to concern all employees. We also note that successor contract negotiations are approaching. We believe those negotiations are the appropriate forum in which to address these challenges and fiscal limitations.
The District is confident both parties will continue to work together in good faith to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. The district is also committed to continuing to analyze budgets and looks forward to successor contract negotiations where wages will be discussed. "
Teachers are still hoping to reopen the wage issue sooner than later.
