TUSD classified school employees receive 4 percent raise plus one-time payment

Classified employees of Tehachapi Unified School District will receive a 4 percent pay boost plus one-time payments ranging from $500 to $1,600 following action by the Board of Trustees at its meeting Nov. 8.

The board ratified the 2022-23 agreement with the Classified School Employees Association,

the union that represents non-certificated school staff. Represented employees include bus drivers, classroom aides, food service workers, janitors and clerical staff.

The agreement calls for the district’s Classified Salary Schedule to increase by 4 percent effective July 1 of the current year. Additionally, all current unit members employed by the district prior to that date are to receive a one-time off schedule payment in the amount of $1,600 and those hired after July 1 are to receive a one-time payment of $500, with the payments to be made within 30 days of approval and ratification of the agreement.

The agreement also makes changes to the schedule to move some classifications to higher ranges. Among other changes, the new agreement will allow employees to cash out up to three weeks of accrued and unused vacation time at the end of the current school year.

The financial impact of the agreement is $476,500 in ongoing salary costs, $56,000 in ongoing health and welfare contributions and $489,000 in one-time off-schedule payments, the superintendent told the board in a report.

The board ratified the contract by a 6-0 vote with Trustee Jeff Kermode absent.

“I can’t say enough about the partnership that we have with our CSEA leadership,” Superintendent Stacey Larson-Everson told the board when she presented the contract for ratification.

“This district can’t run without our classified team members,” she added. “They contribute to all facets of the running of schools and the support that we provide to our students. We’re really pleased with the outcome and with our ongoing relationship.”

She said the agreement “does right by our employees and does right by the school district.”

CSEA Chapter President Sandy Resendiz was equally complimentary of the superintendent.

“We’ve had an uphill battle for years trying to mitigate the minimum wage increases,” Resendiz said in a written statement read by board President Nancy Weinstein earlier in the meeting. “It wasn’t until Superintendent Larson-Everson became our superintendent that we started the process of addressing these issues. We have made wonderful strides in the past few years to make our salary schedule equitable and more appealing to potential employees. CSEA would like to say a big thank you to the superintendent for always valuing our classified employees and their contribution to our students.”

The district is continuing to negotiate with the Tehachapi Association of Teachers, the organization that represents its certificated employees.