San Carlos School District support staff pickets over insurance coverage

The district currently refuses to afford increased coverage of health insurance — employees note plans going up around $100 — and have not awarded raises to support staff since 2022. 

Mark Westerberg, labor relations representative for the San Carlos chapter of the California School Employees Association, said during the 10 years he has worked with the district, the union has never had to resort to these measures for their needs to be met. 

“Sadly, it appears that things have changed,” Westerberg said during public comment at the board meeting April 18. “The employees here don’t feel like they are valued. We’ve tried to reach out to you, we’ve tried to engage you all individually, and we’ve been met with what is essentially a cold shoulder.” 

Sarah Cassanego, president of the Board of Trustees, said the district is approaching these negotiations with consideration of financial uncertainty as its funding status flips between community-funded and state-funded, and with projected statewide budget shortfalls for the upcoming fiscal year.

“To counter the impact of fiscal uncertainty and projected flat funding, the board has directed the district to put money in reserve when possible in order to be able to budget for future negotiated compensation increases,” Cassanego said in an email. “The board remains committed to this approach while continuing to prioritize fiscal responsibility.” 

The union is ultimately asking for $107 a month to almost 50 employees who receive benefits. Union President Lisa Ceragiolio, who is also the accounts clerk for the school district, said they are “not asking for the moon.” Rather, staff just want to feel respected. 

Teresita Quintana — the only bus driver in the entire district — loves her job, and the students she works with, can understand why some of her prior peers left due to low pay.

“I’m here because I think we’ve been treated unfairly,” Quintana said. “They need to hear us out, they need to notice that we are somebody. We are here as a group to let them know that without us, you can’t have what you stand for when you say you’re here for the children. That’s who we’re here for.” 

For Martin Anguiano, a maintenance technician who has worked in the district for 13 years, help with the rising costs of insurance would help significantly. 

“Everything has gone up, my rent went up, food went up,” Anguiano said. “If they really help us a little bit, that would release a little bit of stress. I’m working two jobs in order for me to maintain.” 

Rising costs of living is especially prominent within San Mateo County. For support staff who often are not full-time employees, every cent counts. 

Special Education Paraeducator Ryan Muma said he had to apply for housing assistance to stay local. 

“If this slide keeps happening, it’s just going to get harder and harder and nobody in the district is going to be living in the district,” Muma said. “The power to see your teacher next door, or go and trick-or-treat at their house, is so amazing and really important.” 

At the meeting, the school board approved salary increases for management level employees. 

“Keeping our pay comparable and competitive has been an important goal of this board, so we have prioritized that across all of our staff positions over recent years,” Cassanego said at the meeting. 

Westerberg said the “district has lost sight of the value of these employees” as they approved raises for some of the highest earning positions while support staff stood behind them with picket signs. 

 “These classified employees are the same employees who do work that is equally as important as your assistant superintendent and any other senior administrative staff,” Westerberg said. “These are employees that clean our classrooms, they support our students, they feed our students, and they serve our communities.” 

The parties will now enter the fact-finding portion of the impasse process, which will enlist three individuals, one representing each party and one neutral, to collect data and information on the contested contract and present a recommendation to the school board to consider. 

“The fact that the board and district are more willing to pay for lawyers, mediators and fact finders than give fewer than 50 people $107.67 per month is mind boggling,” Ceragiolio said at the board meeting. “What does that say about what the district and board feel about support staff?”

The district’s last best offer to the CSEA is similar to one agreed upon by the teachers’ union, which includes a 5% salary increase but does not address an increase to coverage of health benefits. 

Cassanego said in the email the district approaches economic issues in negotiations from a “total compensation perspective” meaning salaries and benefits are agreed to together and cannot be settled on without regard to one another. 

The district estimates the fact-finding portion will take about three months depending on timing and length of the hearing or if negotiations continue following the recommendation concluded by the process. 

“I’m very hopeful that our message will be heard and taken seriously and respected and given the pay that we deserve,” Ceragiolio said.