Members of the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers have ratified a three-year labor agreement with Pajaro Valley Unified School District, moving the contract one step closer to final approval.
The agreement now heads to the PVUSD Board of Trustees for consideration. PVFT President Brandon Diniz said he hopes the board will vote to approve it Oct. 7.
The ratification follows nearly a year of negotiations between the district and the union over salaries, health benefits and working conditions. The two sides had entered the state’s fact-finding process after failing to reach an agreement at the bargaining table.
A major sticking point was a cap on teachers’ health benefits, which union leaders called a non-starter.
The union began voting Sept. 4 and concluded Friday. The district and PVFT announced Friday that members had approved the tentative agreement, although they did not release the vote tally.
Diniz said the agreement—which was ratified by 85% of PVFT members—includes a 2% salary schedule increase retroactive to the 2025-26 school year, followed by 1% increases this school year and next. The average union member will see an increase of about $3,472 in annual pay by the end of the agreement, depending on where they fall on the salary schedule.
The agreement also preserves the union’s existing health benefits structure, a major sticking point during negotiations. The district had previously proposed capping its contribution toward family health benefits, a proposal union leaders strongly opposed and over which teachers had threatened to strike.
The contract also includes provisions aimed at improving working conditions, including additional instructional aide support for kindergarten teachers and a case-management preparation period for secondary resource specialists.
Diniz said the vote drew higher participation than the union’s previous contract ratification.
“Our members spoke clearly about what they needed—maintaining our vital health benefits, putting money onto the salary schedule, and creating better working conditions that put students first,” Diniz said. “The decisive vote to ratify this agreement reflects the strength of our collective voice and the power of collective organizing.”
Superintendent Heather Contreras said the ratification represents months of work between the two sides.
“This ratification represents months of hard work, open communication, and a shared dedication to our schools,” Contreras said. “We are deeply grateful to our educators and both bargaining teams for their collaborative spirit.”
The district said the agreement is intended to provide competitive salaries, preserve health benefits and improve classroom conditions while maintaining the district’s long-term fiscal stability.
If approved by the school board, the agreement will conclude a bargaining process that began nearly a year ago.
Editor’s note: Pajaronian Managing News Editor Todd Guild’s wife is a teacher in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, and his family receives health benefits through the district.
