Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1533049
Bargaining Roundup Compiled by Julian Peeples Moreno Valley at the Table Moreno Valley Teachers Association's (MVTA) bargaining team gave us a look behind the curtain while they were in caucus during bargaining, awaiting a counterproposal from the school district. "MVTA is fighting for the schools our students deserve at the bargaining table, making the district sweat it out," the team said. El Camino Strike Leads to Victory Union educators at El Camino Real Charter High School-UTLA (ECR- UTLA) voted to ratify a new contract agreement by an overwhelming 98% on Feb. 17, following a strike that began the week before and a tentative agreement reached over the Presidents' Day weekend. The strike saw educators, parents, students and other community members out on the picket line, often in driving rain. Educators had been working without a contract since July 2024. "School management has committed to fairer wages and other wins that benefit our school community," said Kate Rechner, a Special Education English teacher on the union's bargaining team. "We, alongside parents and students, are more united than ever and will continue to fight for the school we envision ECR can be." The agreement includes a salary increase of 19% over three years. The Woodland Hills school's board of directors was scheduled to vote to approve the contract at their meeting on Feb. 27. VIRTUAL EDUCATORS: Improved Health The members of California Virtual Educators United (CVEU) and iQ Teachers Association (iQTA) scored a big victory in August, winning improved health care benefits after their employer made unilateral changes to their plans. Charter management informed the locals that they had changed the company providing their payroll and benefit services, which impacted bargainable items like benefits offerings and even pay dates. While the locals had grounds to file Unfair Labor Practice charges, CVEU chose to address the issue at the bargaining table — negotiating lower out-of-pocket costs for the new plans and adding bonuses for the disruption caused by the change in pay dates ($1,500 for each CVEU member and $2,250 for each iQTA member). CVEU President Nicole Piper said forcing the employer to bargain and make concessions will hopefully give them pause when considering future unilateral changes. "When employers try to bypass the bargaining process, we must stand strong and hold them accountable," Piper said. "We chose to fight at the table — and we won. By forcing them to negotiate, we secured lower out-of-pocket health care costs and financial relief for our members. This victory sends a clear message: Unilateral changes will not go unchallenged. When we stand together, we don't just push back — we push forward." 47 M A R C H 2 0 2 5 A Y C K M Final Trim Size: 8" x 5" 8.25" x 5.25" Bleed 7" x 4.687 Live Area Colors 4/0 CMYK