CSEA raises concerns about hiring procedures as Barstow Unified begins school year

A CSEA representative told the Barstow Unified School District board that classified members are concerned the district has not consistently followed established hiring processes, including ranking, interviews and filling vacancies.

The union speaker said members had reported multiple procedural “kinks” at the start of the school year and that the union has been communicating with district staff, including Human Resources and district leadership, to resolve the issues. The union added that, on the positive side, several vacancies are being filled more quickly than in prior cycles.

District leaders acknowledged the concerns and said they have already met to address the problems and that changes to procedure have been implemented in some areas. Commissioner Mr. Gutierrez described a productive labor-management meeting and said union and district negotiators will exchange openers and aim to begin negotiations in September.

The discussion also touched on leave and workplace protections after a board member asked about whether the Healthy Workplace / Healthy Families Act and kin-care provisions apply to school employees. The speaker recommended obtaining a formal legal opinion or at least a district memorandum to clarify the statute’s application and to ensure consistent implementation at worksites.

Next steps: the board agreed a formal memorandum or legal opinion should be prepared and distributed so employees and site administrators understand how the labor code and district practice intersect. That clarification will also guide stewards and site supervisors in handling appointment scheduling and leave disputes.

The report concluded with union introductions of two newly trained job stewards, Brianna Simonitis and Carrie Thomas, and an announcement of the union’s next business meeting.