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CUSD employees say bargaining impasse nears strike as union criticizes canceled talks and pay gaps
Summary
The Carpinteria Unified School District heard union leader Jay Hochner say bargaining has been stalled 18 months, with the union alleging the district canceled sessions and gave administrators larger raises while offering small increases to staff — raising the prospect of a strike.
Jay Hochner, who identified himself as the district employee union president, told the Carpinteria Unified School District board on Nov. 26 that labor negotiations are at an impasse after some 18 months and that the district’s handling of talks risks a strike.
“We are now in the 18th month of a process that should have been resolved,” Hochner said during public comment. He asserted the district unilaterally canceled 11 of 14 scheduled bargaining sessions, refused to meet in routine business hours, and rejected a series of employee-proposed improvements. Hochner said the district gave superintendent-level administrators “10 to 12%” salary increases during the same period while offering employees only “2 to 2 a half percent.”
Hochner also criticized the district’s approach to special-needs services, saying the district contracts behavior-intervention work to outside companies rather than training and paying in-district staff. He cited hourly contractor rates in the presentation: behavior intervention aides, $52 an hour; behavior intervention technicians, $60 an hour; and behavior-intervention supervision and design at $105 an hour — figures raised as part of the union’s argument that contracted workers earn far more than district instructional aides doing similar work.
The district chair repeatedly reminded speakers to keep comments within the meeting’s time limits. Board members did not respond with a public policy statement in the moment; the board’s public materials later show negotiations remain unresolved.
Why it matters: The union framed the issue as a student-safety and operational risk, tying employee compensation and labor relations to staffing stability and service continuity. A prolonged impasse could produce a strike that would disrupt classes and extracurricular programs.
What the board heard and did: Board members cut off several speakers for time but allowed translation into Spanish to ensure the union’s remarks were recorded. No formal action (motions or votes) on negotiations occurred at the meeting; union representatives and community members pressed the board for more public discussion and transparency about bargaining history and canceled sessions.
What’s next: The union’s remarks brought bargaining into the public record at a regular board meeting. The transcript shows no immediate resolution; the union’s concern about pay parity and contract timing could reappear at future meetings or in formal labor filings.
Provenance: Topic begins with public comment and the union remarks (SEG 031) and continues through chair interventions and related public comments (up to SEG 099).
