Labor deal reached between teachers, district in Burlingame

As drafted, educators would receive a 3% salary increase this year, retroactively beginning July 1, and a 2.5% salary increase the following year. Teachers who were employed by the district and assisted with the reopening would also receive a $3,000 bonus this year followed by another $3,000 bonus next September if they remain in the district, McManus said.

The bargaining teams also agreed to doubling bonuses for teachers with master’s degrees, increasing the rate to $2,000 and surpassing the average bonus offered by other school districts in the county, McManus said.

Though McManus maintained that educators deserve more than what was agreed upon in the deal, he also shared appreciation for where figures landed. Teachers were initially seeking a three-year deal with a 5% raise in the first year and two, subsequent 4% raises but the district countered with a one-year deal featuring a 1% raise layered onto the naturally occurring salary scale escalations, which range from 2% to 4%.

Superintendent Chris Mount-Benites previously argued that the district was unable to offer teachers more without jeopardizing other critical services like art or physical education programs because it faces a $2 million deficit in the next two fiscal years.

To manage the budget shortfall, the district’s Board of Trustees voted to cut $1.3 million from the budget, mostly through eliminating vacant positions.

But teachers have routinely disputed the claim and called for the district to use some of its nearly $8 million in reserves to help cover the costs. With neither side willing to budge, the discrepancy between offers ultimately led the parties to an impasse and teachers to rally for better pay with supporters.

“If we just rolled over, that would have set the table for being treated unfairly and inappropriately for the years to come,” McManus said, pointing to the new agreement as a sign the district was knowingly holding out.

Educators have pointed to salary increases as vital steps for preserving a quality education system in the Bay Area, especially as cost of living grows and the housing market remains strained.

Given that districts across the state are dealing with staffing shortages, including Burlingame School District, McManus argued higher salaries are also necessary for attracting potential employees and retaining staff who could be tempted to work in other better paying districts.

After conducting research, working through the district’s budget and partnering with lawyers, McManus said he requested the two parties return to the bargaining table to strike a deal. Following their meeting last Tuesday, they put out a joint statement calling talks “extremely productive.”

“I am pleased that the bargaining team has been able to sit down in the same room and speak face to face and make progress so that teachers, our district, our learners and our families can move forward with getting the most out of the year,” Mount-Benites said in an email.

McManus said teachers were expected to ratify the deal by 4:30 p.m. Tuesday with the final agreement to be made public after. The school board will have the final say on the agreement on Nov. 16 when a final vote is expected to take place.

The parties will return to the negotiation table in the spring of 2023 and by then, McManus said their side will be fully prepared to fight for what they believe teachers deserve.

“We know what it takes now to be successful negotiators because we educated ourselves,” McManus said. “We’ve developed the power among ourselves.”

sierra@smdailyjournal.com

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