Pajaro Valley Unified School District on Wednesday declared an impasse in ongoing negotiations with the teachers union, setting the stage for possible intervention by a state-appointed mediator.
In a letter to district staff, PVUSD Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Kit Bragg said a previous proposal to give teachers a 7.77% salary increase while capping medical benefits was an attempt to “increase take-home pay while also adjusting benefit structures to strengthen long-term fiscal sustainability.”
“We brought this forward in good faith, hopeful it would serve as a starting point for meaningful dialogue,” Bragg wrote. “Recognizing the parties have substantial differences, PVUSD is requesting the state to appoint a neutral mediator to assist the parties.”
Bragg said the district’s responsibility is “to pursue agreements that are both competitive for employees and financially sustainable for the district.”
“Our goal is to offer competitive salaries, maintain strong, restructured benefits, ensure fiscal responsibility, and continue strengthening our programs to support improved student outcomes,” he wrote.
But the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers says the cap is a nonstarter, arguing that the modest salary increase does not cover the increased costs of their insurance plans—roughly $12,000 per year.
PVFT President Brandon Diniz said the union is also seeking smaller class sizes and lower caseloads for special education teachers.
Diniz said a message sent to teachers Wednesday afternoon asking whether they would support a strike showed overwhelming support. The survey runs through May 11.
“We’re going to be gearing up and ready to take all avenues available to us in this process,” he said.
The district’s announcement came about a month after it sent layoff notices to 85 teachers, a number Diniz expects to grow as the May 15 final layoff deadline approaches.
In addition, the district is looking to address its $29.3 million deficit by considering closing schools with low enrollment.
“They’re eliminating teachers through layoffs,” Diniz said. “We’re now looking at closing schools. Our students can’t afford for us to continue with this status quo, business-as-usual approach. So we want to see some movement on class sizes, and we’re not willing to budge on that benefits cap.”
The union plans to hold a rally before the next PVUSD board meeting, scheduled for May 6 in the Watsonville City Council chambers.
“We’re hoping to see our members and the community show up in force,” he said.
If mediation fails—a process that takes roughly a month—the union can request a three-member panel (one union representative, one employer representative and one neutral chair) to review the evidence and issue a nonbinding report with recommendations for settlement.
If no agreement is reached after that, and following a required 10-day quiet period, the district can make its last, best and final offer, Diniz wrote. If that offer is rejected, the union could then consider a strike.
