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Teachers and classified staff urge board to reject request to declare impasse in contract talks
Summary
Public commenters, the teachers association and classified staff urged the Palmdale Aerospace Academy District board to reject Superintendent Gina Lynch’s request to declare impasse in teacher contract negotiations and to return negotiators to the table, warning that state‑level intervention would damage morale and collaboration.
Members of the Palmdale Aerospace Teachers Association and the Classified Association urged the board during public comment to oppose a request by district leaders to declare impasse in ongoing contract negotiations.
An unnamed PATA representative told the board the sides were "incredibly close to resolution" and described declaring impasse as "an invitation for the state to appoint a mediator," a move the speaker said would escalate the dispute and could delay resolution "potentially not this school year." The speaker asked the board to "deny Miss Lynch's request to declare impasse and direct the academy's bargaining team back to the table."
Classified Association President Javier Serna, who introduced himself as a 2017 graduate and a current employee, said classified staff "strongly [stand] in solidarity with our teacher colleagues" and urged collaborative bargaining that prioritizes student success and staff stability. Christine Castellanos, PACA bargaining chair, summarized PACA's sunshine proposals, naming automatic reopeners for compensation and health and welfare and proposed reopeners for professional growth and transfers.
Academy leadership told the board it would stick to automatic reopeners for compensation and health and welfare and expressed willingness to meet in December to begin classified bargaining. Cindy Carver, appearing from an overflow room before closed session, also asked the board to consider the morale impacts of declaring impasse "especially so close to the holiday season."
No formal board action on declaring impasse appears in the open‑session record; the meeting moved into closed session and returned with several personnel actions announced. The record does show broad community and staff appeals for continued negotiation rather than immediate escalation to state intervention.
Next steps: school leaders said they intend to schedule bargaining and the academy signaled availability for December sessions; the board has not recorded a public vote on an impasse declaration in these open‑session minutes.
