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Classified staff and unions push back after retirement incentive appears limited to certificated teachers
Summary
Union leaders and classified employees sharply criticized a proposed ‘golden handshake’ retirement incentive that, as announced, would be offered only to certificated teachers. District officials said expanding the offer to all employees is not currently within the budget, and trustees asked staff for additional financial summaries.
Union leaders and classified employees asked the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District board on Wednesday to extend a proposed retirement incentive to include classified staff, saying excluding those workers would be unfair and risk fracturing staff unity.
"On October 31, SEIU was informed that a golden handshake offer would be presented at this board meeting, but only for certificated employees," said Laura Silva, chief steward of SEIU Local 99. "While we understand the rationale behind this proposal, its exclusion of classified employees sends a clear and painful message that our members are not respected or valued."
Margaret Caldera, chapter president of the California School Employees Association (CSEA) Chapter 115, told trustees classified employees perform a wide range of essential functions and should not be excluded. "We believe our teachers are dedicated professionals who absolutely deserve this opportunity, but so do classified employees," Caldera said.
Several classified employees described decades of service and urged the board to revise the proposal or explore an equitable alternative. Carmen Flores, a classified employee of nearly 30 years, said she felt her service had been reduced to "a line item on a spreadsheet" and asked trustees to reconsider exclusion from the incentive.
District leaders acknowledged the political sensitivity of the proposal but said financial constraints shaped the design. "At this time, offering a golden handshake to all employees is unfortunately not within our current financial means," the board president said during member comments, noting the district would revisit the idea if budgets allow.
Board members and staff told the audience they would provide additional clarifying materials. Trustees asked for executive summaries and financial breakdowns showing the program cost and the district’s analysis of savings, and union leaders said they would bring concerns back to the bargaining table.
Why it matters: The proposed incentive is part of the district’s effort to realign staffing and reduce costs in response to a multi‑year fiscal plan. Classified positions — including bus drivers, custodians, clerks, instructional aides and food service workers — represent functions trustees and unions said are central to daily operations.
What’s next: Trustees requested staff provide clearer cost estimates and eligibility details; union leaders said they will continue negotiating for an inclusive approach. The district did not adopt a final policy on the incentive during the meeting.
