Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Labor Compensation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Classified staff urge bigger raises as board approves 1% raises amid budget shortfall
Summary
Classified employees and CSEA representatives told the San Luis Coastal Unified board a proposed 1% raise and rising benefit costs amount to a pay cut for many; the board approved multiple tentative agreements — including a 1% increase for executives — while staff warned the district faces a $1.5–$2.5 million structural deficit.
Classified employees packed the public‑comment period at the San Luis Coastal Unified School District board meeting on June 17 to press the board for pay increases larger than the 1% offer under negotiation.
"A 1% increase in pay gives me $50 less a month," said Kelly Luric, a registrar and secretary at Laguna Middle School, describing how the proposed raise combined with higher benefit contributions leaves some staff with lower take‑home pay. Carissa Clover, CSEA vice president and a library technician at Delmare Elementary School, said more than 200 staff members signed a petition calling for the district to prioritize living wages for its lowest paid employees.
Treasurer Judy Stagnoli walked the board through sample calculations showing how higher premiums can more than offset a 1% raise: "A full‑time employee on the largest benefit package will see an increase of $106 per paycheck...a 1% raise for an average full‑time classified employee comes to approximately $500 annually, resulting in a net loss," she said. April Stover, president of CSEA Chapter 89, said many classified staff now juggle multiple jobs and that ongoing turnover threatens institutional knowledge.
The public comments came as the board considered several labor and budget items. Chief Business Officer Mr. Pinkerton told trustees the district had anticipated $1.7 billion in one‑time state funds but had received updated information suggesting roughly $500 million tied to LCFF formulas, creating uncertainty for districts like San Luis Coastal that are not LCFF recipients. He said the district faces a structural deficit that was about $1.5 million when the budget was adopted and could rise to roughly $2.5 million if the 1% pay increase is implemented.
Despite the feedback from classified staff, the board approved a slate of tentative agreements covering multiple employee groups and administrative employment agreements that include a 1% salary increase for the superintendent and assistant superintendents. The motion to approve the executive employment amendments disclosed the superintendent's new annual compensation as $288,938 and passed 6–0 with one member absent.
Board members acknowledged the concerns raised by staff. "We have to figure out how to do better for these folks because they are operating in some really intense conditions," said a board member during public comment responses, and trustees noted the challenge of closing the structural deficit without new revenue sources.
Next steps: staff said they will continue negotiations and return with budget updates after the governor signs the state budget and following further analysis of local property tax receipts and federal funding outcomes. Several board members also signaled a desire to explore creative revenue options and to revisit compensation strategies in fall budget planning.
Ending: The board took the approved tentative agreements and budget reports as part of tonight's consent and action items; no additional salary increases beyond the approved agreements were adopted at this meeting.
