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Classified employees urge board to invest $20M surplus in pay; unions, employees press retention case
Summary
Classified workers, union leaders and teachers told the board during public comment that the district has unrestricted funds and urged trustees to prioritize salary increases to retain employees, citing competition from neighboring districts and rising living costs.
Classified employees, union leaders and teachers used the board's public comment period on March 27 to press for higher pay and to contest district budget messaging that negotiators have used in talks.
CSEA President Michael Gandara told the board the union's offer "has been fair and just" and urged trustees to invest in classified staff. "My members are the backbone of the school system," Gandara said, listing custodians, yard staff, paraeducators, food service workers, office staff and others and asking trustees to use available funds for salary increases and retention.
Representatives of the Washington Teachers Association and several classroom teachers reinforced the recruitment and retention case. One seventh‑grade teacher said he was considering moving to another district because teachers within a 40‑minute commute could earn $10,000 more a year. "Why am I driving 40 minutes to take a $10,000 pay cut?" he asked during public comment, saying the district's budget picture had $16 million in additional funds last year that could have addressed pay.
Multiple classified staff provided personal testimony. Paraeducators described net monthly pay that left them short of basic expenses; a bus driver described training and licensing changes that make the work more demanding while pay lags; speech and language pathologists and special‑education staff raised caseload and workload concerns, asking the board to adopt caps and add staff.
Union leaders and staff pointed to the district's multi‑year projection and to Fund 17 balances as evidence the board could prioritize pay increases without jeopardizing required reserves. Riverview 168 negotiating team members urged trustees to "show where you spend your money" to demonstrate what the board values.
Board members acknowledged the comments and the need to work through labor negotiations. Trustees and staff said budget advisory and negotiations will be part of the next phase of budget work.
No formal contract or settlement was announced at the meeting; negotiations were reported to be ongoing and the board reserved closed session for bargaining discussions later in the evening.
