15 Dec Pittsburg Teachers Union Declares Impasse in Negotiations With District

“As illustrated above, salaries and benefits comprise approximately 86% of the District’s unrestricted budget and 71% of the total General Fund budget.” (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

Another East Bay teachers’ union is making the first move towards a strike, only hours after another reached a tentative agreement and ended theirs.

The Pittsburg Education Association declared impasse in negotiations with the Pittsburg Unified School District, the union said on Wednesday.

An impasse means the PUSD and PEA will go through a state process that will result in a fact-finding report issued by a neutral party. If the two still can’t agree, teachers can strike.

PEA’s announcement came the same day that the West Contra Costa Unified School District and its teachers union, the United Teachers of Richmond, announced a tentative agreement to end a four-school-day strike. It’s also the second time this year that PEA has declared impasse this year, according to filings from the California Public Employment Relations Board.

The union is asking for a 7% salary increase and fully paid standard disability insurance, according to its proposals. The requests are similar to those of California teachers, many, including PEA, who have also requested caps on class sizes.

Part of the larger California Teachers Association, PEA is the latest union to declare impasse and leave the threat of a strike on the table to push for fully staffed and stabilized schools.

PUSD has not offered any salary increase in the three times that they have met, according to the union, but has made a proposal related to safety improvements.

“I understand that PUSD, like all public schools, are in budget reductions. However, does this ‘no offer’ represent the value that PUSD has for its educators?” said Julie Kanyuk, PEA’s secondary vice president, at Wednesday’s school board meeting.

At the meeting, the district said that around $29.3 million in reductions would need to happen over the next two school years to maintain a balanced budget. Hitesh Haria, associate superintendent of business services, said that a balanced budget also requires the district to spend down $17.57 million in unassigned funds.

“But the only way it’s balanced is because we’re looking at reductions still of $29.3 million,” said Haria.

The district already reduced its deficit from $56.9 million after factoring in state revenue for transitional kindergarten, one-time funding, controlling expenses, and a slight increase in enrollment. PUSD’s enrollment increased by 84 students, bringing in an additional $4.9 million.

The projected deficit does not include any possible raises teachers could get.

Part of the budget reduction process also included cutting a few positions this year, instead of reducing hours for vice principals.

Most of the district’s budget is spent on salaries and benefits for employees. Around 86% of its unrestricted budget is used for salaries and benefits, according to Haria. That amounts to $78.2 million in salaries being paid out through the unrestricted and restricted funds for certificated staff, like teachers, in the 2025-26 year.

Celia Medina-Owens, president of PEA, said in the impasse announcement that members would receive more information on a strike authorization vote.