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Duarte educators urge board to direct negotiators to settle contract; union says members lack raises, face higher health costs
Summary
DUEA representatives and teachers told the board that district educators began the school year without a contract and urged the board to instruct negotiators to accept union proposals to raise pay, cap health-cost increases and reduce class sizes.
Union leaders and teachers asked the Duarte Unified School District Board of Education on Thursday to direct the district's bargaining team to accept proposals the union says are necessary to recruit and retain teachers.
Andrew Thill, a fifth-grade teacher at Beardsley Dual Language Academy and the DUEA negotiations lead, told the board that educators have been working without a contract since the first day of the school year and that 97% of union members signed postcards urging the board to adopt proposals on competitive wages and benefits, manageable class sizes and planning time. "DUEA and community members support our proposals to attract and retain quality educators," Thill said. He said more than 600 community members had also signed postcards of support to be delivered to the board.
Thill said district educators have not had an on-schedule salary increase for three years and that the district had not agreed to share the recent increase in health-insurance premium costs. "Many of our members are in danger of taking a pay cut this year," he said, citing higher out-of-pocket health costs.
Thill asked the board to direct the district's negotiations team to agree to the union's proposals at the next bargaining session scheduled for Sept. 19. He also said union members remain invested in the district and its students but that low pay is driving educators to leave for other districts.
Board members did not take action during public comment. The board did note the concerns and will continue negotiations through the district's bargaining process. No formal update from the superintendent or the district's bargaining team was provided during public comment.
Why it matters: Teacher compensation, benefits and working conditions are central to staffing stability and classroom quality. Union leaders said the district carries a high reserve but has not shared cost increases for health coverage, a dispute that could influence negotiations and retention.
