Strike Looms At Yuba City Schools As Pay Dispute Lingers
YUBA CITY (CBS13) - Yuba City Unified School District is bracing for a possible strike any day now. Teachers have been battling the district over higher pay for more than a year. Even though school has only been in session for a week, teachers are prepared to go on strike if they cannot reach a resolution.
"We're losing great teachers to neighboring districts who are paying higher salaries," said Dina Luetgens, the president of the Yuba City Teachers Association. "Our salaries lag 13.4% behind the state average. That's a problem when we're in a teacher shortage."
The association took a look at neighboring districts and found Yuba City teachers making lower salaries than several others. For instance, the total maximum package for a first year teacher in Sacramento City Unified School District is $77,788, but for Yuba City Unified School District Teacher, it's $58,466.
"It was terribly disappointing," Luetgens said. "Didn't expect to fall that low on the list when we ran the numbers."
"If they want a little bit more money, then they should pay them some because some of these teachers are awesome," said parent Eileen Rosebrough.
But Yuba City Unified School District Superintendent Nancy Aaberg said the district has made it clear to the teachers that they're willing to negotiate.
"We have invited them multiple times, to date and they have refused that invitation," Aaberg said. "We believe there is a solution to this situation and it can be found at the bargaining table and not at the picket line."
The district's latest proposal included a 3.5% pay raise; but the teachers association is asking for 13%. Aaberg told CBS13 that the district has made a total of six offers but the teachers have rejected all of them.
Yuba City Unified School District is calling for substitute teachers to apply to the district, in the event that the strike does happen. They're offering a pay rate of $330 per day, more than double the normal rate of $125 per day.
"We have every interest to create the most positive environment for our 13,000 students that are counting on us every single day," Aaberg said.
Luetgens is still concerned that the district is focusing more efforts on finding substitutes than finding solutions; but she hopes to avoid a strike for the good of the kids.
"We're only going to go on strike if we've got no hope left of reaching a fair resolution," Luetgens said.