WATSONVILLE — Pajaro Valley Unified School District teachers on Monday will begin a “work-to-rule” action, in which workers do only the work required under their contract.
The action is a way to bring visibility to the ongoing negotiations between teachers and the district, Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers President Francisco Rodriguez said.
The two sides are trying to sew up negotiations for the 2016-17 school year.
The week of action can also include “grade-ins,” in which teachers gather en masse in a public place to do their work, Rodriguez said.
It began in earnest Wednesday, when some 670 people packed the Watsonville City Council Chambers, for the PVUSD Board of Trustees meeting, and then walked out en masse after a single teacher addressed the board.
Many teachers frequently stay in their classrooms after hours grading papers, talking to students and countless other tasks, in addition to spending hours working at home.
Work-to-rule can therefore mean an enormous reduction in the number of extra hours they put in. It is a tactic often used as a last-ditch effort during contentious negotiations.
PVUSD in November offered teachers a 2 percent raise for this school year, in addition to a $3,200 one-time payment.
PVFT has rejected the offer, saying they also want a retroactive raise for the 2016-17 school year.
The union expects a response from the district on Monday. If negotiations fail, the two sides could go to mediation.
PVUSD Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez said the district has planned for the work-to-rule action, and has several “proactive” measures in place such as college and career centers, sports and after-school programs.
“We always are hopeful that all of us – teachers, administration and classified staff – can continue to give 110 percent on a daily basis, and that we do what’s in the best interest of the students,” she said.
Newly-appointed PVUSD Board of Trustees Present Leslie De Rose agreed.
“We wish they would continue to provide the support they always do to students,” she said. “It’s unfortunate that we’ve come to this.”
But Francisco Rodriguez said that the teacher action will likely result in more work for the teachers, since they will have to cram more work into a shorter time frame.
“There are a lot of things that have to be done for a teacher’s work day,” he said. “Work-to-rule means they do as much as they can during the school day. What they need to do is prioritize.”
