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Labor Negotiations Update

This web page is designed to provide our staff and community with information, resources, and progress reports relevant to current labor negotiations that are taking place between the Hayward Unified School District and our labor partners.

Bargaining Units

The Hayward Education Association (HEA) represents education employees such as teachers, counselors, school librarians, social workers, psychologists, and nurses.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) represents employees in the following areas: custodial, child nutrition, grounds, maintenance, technicians, trades, transportation, warehouse supply, security services, and paraprofessionals.
 

The Association of Office and Educational Technology Employees (AEOTE) represents school site office staff, specialists, translators/ interpreters, technology staff, outreach workers, technicians and district office personnel.

chart of negotiations process

Updates

April 23, 2024

Ratification of Tentative Agreement with HEA

I am pleased to share that, with the District and Hayward Education Association having reached a Tentative Agreement on contract terms on March 29, association members ratified the agreement on Friday.

The TA will now go to the Board of Education for approval at its May 8 meeting. The board previously approved Tentative Agreements with bargaining units AEOTE and SEIU on January 24. Among other things, the TA includes retroactive salary increases of 2% for 2022-23 and 8.5% for the 2023-24 school year. 

The Hayward Education Association (HEA) represents employees such as teachers, counselors, library teachers, as well as education specialists such as psychologists, occupational and speech therapists, and nurses. However, this agreement also affects labor partners whose contracts stipulate that they receive at least the same increase in salary and benefits as HEA members.

I firmly believe that employees are our most valuable asset. The District is committed to fair and sustainable labor agreements that recognize the dedication of employees and which help create an environment that supports student success and well-being. This agreement improves working conditions for HUSD employees, and aligns with shared goals of attracting and retaining highly qualified professionals.

This was a long process, with a TA reached in the early morning hours of March 29. I want to express my gratitude to the negotiators and everyone else involved for their professionalism and commitment to finding common ground.

Details of the agreement are below.

Sincerely,

Jason Reimann


Superintendent

 

Article Summary
Preamble/Article 6 - Negotiations Terms of the contract
Article 9 - Safety Updating current and consistent practices to ensure prompt response time to ensure the safety of staff.
Article 10 - Work Hours Improved working condition supports through increased collaboration time at preschool, technology support (printers/digital cameras). and compensation for those working beyond the required additional duty time.
Article 11 - Leaves Updated language to be compliant with updated leave legislation in California.
Article 12 - Class Size Class sizes that create inclusive opportunities for students with IEPs as well as additional staffing allocations to support MultiLingual Language Learners.
Article 13 - Evaluations, 14 - Transfers, 20 - Retirement Clarified timelines and processes for evaluation, transfer and retiree processes
Article 17 - Summer School Improved compensation opportunities for teachers working with students needing additional instructional opportunities for academic success. (i.e. summer & intervention)
Article 18 - Compensation for Extra Work Support for sections for secondary department chairs to plan and develop meaningful student instruction & activities
Article 22

Meaningful salary compensation to remain competitive in the Bay area to attract and retain employees.

Retroactive salary increases of 2% for 2022-23 and 8.5% for 2023-24 school years.

Article 28 Clarifying language regarding Site Based Decision Making team compositions at each level elementary, middle and high school.

 

January 25, 2024

Ratification of Tentative Agreements with AEOTE, SEIU

On January 24, 2024, the Board of Education approved, on a 5-0 vote, to ratify tentative agreements with bargaining units AEOTE and SEIU.

Background:

On December 6, 2023, the District and the Association of Educational Office and Technical Employees (AEOTE) reached a Tentative Agreement to a re-opener agreement completing all matters of negotiation from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2025. On December 14, 2023, AEOTE’s membership ratified this Tentative Agreement. 

On December 11, 2023, the District and the Service Employees International Union, Local 1021 (SEIU M&O/SAFECO) reached a Tentative Agreement to a re-opener agreement completing all matters of negotiation from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2025. On January 18, 2024, SEIU M&O/SAFECO’s membership ratified this Tentative Agreement. 

On December 11, 2023, the District and the Service Employees International Union, Local 1021 (SEIU Para/YEP) reached a Tentative Agreement to a re-opener agreement completing all matters of negotiation from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2025. On January 18, 2024, SEIU Para/YEP’s membership ratified this Tentative Agreement. 

We believe the new terms confirm the value we place on our AEOTE and SEIU members as well as support District operations.

Purpose:

Under the terms of the Tentative Agreement, the parties have agreed to modifications to the following Articles in the AEOTE collective bargaining agreement:

  • Article 7  - Association Rights

  • Article 8  - Grievance Procedures NO CHANGES?

  • Article 9  - Notifications of Job Opportunities

  • Article 11 - Leaves of Absences

  • Article 13  - Vacations and Holidays

  • Article 14  - Employee Safety

  • Article 15  - Performance Evaluations

  • Article 16  - Compensation

  • Article 17  - Professional Growth

  • Article 18  - Mentor/Peer Assistance Program

  • Article 21  - Unit Member Rights and Extended School Year

  • Article 23  - Progressive Discipline
     

  • Appendix A

  • Appendix B

Under the terms of the Tentative Agreement, the parties have agreed to modifications to the following Articles in the SEIU M&O/SAFECO collective bargaining agreement:

  • Article 12 - Hours of Employment

  • Article 13 - Leaves of Absence

  • Article 15 - Vacations

  • Article 16 - Employee Safety

  • Article 18 - Health and Welfare Benefits

  • Article 19 - Compensation

  • Article 21 - Miscellaneous

  • Article 26 - Class School Summer Assistance Program

  • Appendix A

  • Appendix B

  • Appendix C

  • Appendix D

Under the terms of the Tentative Agreement, the parties have agreed to modifications to the following Articles in the SEIU Para/YEP collective bargaining agreement:

  • Article 12 - Hours of Employment

  • Article 13 - Leaves of Absence

  • Article 18 - Compensation

  • Article 19 - Compensation/Health and Benefits

  • Article 20 - Miscellaneous

  • Article 23 - Summer Assistance Program

  • Appendix A

  • Appendix B

  • Appendix C

  • Appendix D

Negotiations with HEA continue.

December 4, 2023

On December 1, the district met with HEA and shared the latest update about the state of California's sobering revenue outlook, which directly impacts the HUSD budget. On Friday, the non-partisan Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) adjusted state revenue projections downward after getting a view of tax receipts for the year. This is important because the district receives more than 80 percent of its revenues from the state.

The LAO now predicts tax revenues will fall short of projections by a total of $58 billion for the three-year span from 2022 through 2025. As a result, the state is now anticipating a roughly 1 percent cost-of-living increase for schools next year, down from nearly 4 percent that the state projected with its 2023-24 Adopted Budget.

The lower cost-of-living increase would result in more than $7 million less funding than anticipated for HUSD for next year, which would impact the district's available resources for bargaining. 

The 2024-2025 Fiscal Outlook from the LAO initiates the state budget process. Specific numbers will fluctuate over the next seven months, but this recent news from the LAO is not positive. 

At HUSD’s current level of expenditures, without salary and benefit adjustments, the district could face a budget deficit in the 2025-26 fiscal year. 

At this time, HEA and HUSD have no other bargaining date set. We are beginning to plan around this new budget outlook and are continuing bargaining with labor partners for the 2022-2023 contract year. We are hopeful that we will be able to reach agreements with our labor partners to ensure the best outcomes and support for our students and staff members.

As a reminder, the next session with SEIU is scheduled for January 10, and on December 6, we continue negotiations with AEOTE through mediation.

November 27, 2023

The district and SEIU met today and agreed to another bargaining session on January 10. The next session with a HEA is this Friday, December 1. And on December 6, we continue negotiations with AEOTE through mediation.

November 13, 2023

An update on negotiations with our employee bargaining units: The school district continues to bargain in good faith in hopes of reaching agreements on new contracts. The district is in mediation with the Association of Educational Office and Technical Employees (AEOTE), and met last week. A second mediation session is scheduled for December 6.

The district also met with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) last week. The next session is scheduled for November 27.

For the Hayward Education Association (HEA), the next meeting is scheduled for this Wednesday.

September 29th, 2023

The Hayward Unified School District is committed to collaborating and working together with our labor partners to finalize our contract negotiations. We are seeking an outcome that benefits employees and maintains the financial sustainability of the district. We believe that maintaining open lines of communication and fostering a respectful dialogue are essential in reaching a mutually agreeable resolution.

Classified employees represented as the Association of Office and Educational Technology Employees (AEOTE) filed for impasse with the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) on Tuesday, September 26, regarding the remaining open proposals related to personal leave, vacation accrual, health benefits, and telecommuting.

AEOTE represents school site office staff, specialists, translators/interpreters, technology, outreach workers, technicians, and district office staff.

Specific to the district’s proposal regarding health benefits, the district would offer each employee two options to select from. One would maintain the current salary schedule and allow an employee to shop and pay for their own health care coverage, as they have for the last approximately 25 years. The other option would allow an employee to select an increased compensation through a reduced salary and a new district contribution towards health benefits. This proposal was put forth as a means to balance budgetary constraints and ensure the long-term financial stability of the district to maintain essential services to our students, staff, and the community, while maintaining choice for individual employees to select a compensation package to best meet their needs.

Unfortunately, AEOTE declared impasse. Now, the district and AEOTE will move into the mediation stage. A mediator from the California Public Employment Relations Board will be assigned to this negotiations process and seek to reach an agreement between the district and AEOTE.

We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the invaluable contributions of our dedicated staff. Their hard work and commitment to our students are instrumental in the district's success. We want to assure you that the district is committed to finding a fair and sustainable solution that recognizes their dedication.

Our primary focus throughout these negotiations has been, and will continue to be, our students. We are dedicated to creating an environment that supports their educational experience and overall well-being. Any decisions made will be in the best interest of our students and their educational needs.

We understand the importance of a timely resolution and the impact it has on operations and morale. We are working diligently towards resolving the impasse while keeping the best interests of our students, staff, and the community in mind.

We believe that the district and the employee representatives share a common goal of reaching a fair and equitable agreement. The district's proposal is rooted in the need for financial sustainability and the ability to provide quality education for our students.

Thank you for your understanding and support during this negotiation process. We remain committed to working collaboratively with all parties involved to find a resolution that benefits everyone.

Please feel free to reach out to us at madeinhayward@husd.us if you have any questions or concerns. We will continue to keep you updated on significant developments.

April 21, 2023

This is the time of year when we begin to closely watch the budget process in Sacramento. As the state budget provides the vast majority of our funding, it serves as the template for our own budget process.

At the same time, we are negotiating with the four employee bargaining units: Hayward Education Association (HEA), Association of Educational Office and Technical Employees (AEOTE), Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Safeco/M&O, and SEIU Para-YEP.

The collective bargaining process allows public school employees to bargain with their school district regarding compensation and other employment-related issues. Each contract is negotiated separately with the bargaining unit’s respective negotiating team. The contracts would run through June, 2025.

Contract negotiations offer us an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to the vital staff members who serve our students and families. Our employees live and work in a region with a high cost of living, and compensation should reflect that reality, when possible, if we are to recruit and retain high-quality staff.

These two events—the state budget and contract negotiations—are connected. Knowing how much state funding we can expect allows us to determine the resources available to support ongoing costs. This is crucial because our mandate from Alameda County education officials, and our promise to taxpayers, is to operate within our means.

Compensation’s Share of the Budget

Salaries and benefits make up 93 percent of HUSD’s general operating budget. HUSD’s staffing costs are higher than the state average, which is 88 percent. Consequently, salary and benefit adjustments have a considerable impact on the budget.

Enrollment

Enrollment has been declining in HUSD for the past 20 years. Despite enrollment efforts, demographic studies indicate that it will continue to decline.

This is a statewide phenomenon. California’s public schools saw the fifth straight year of enrollment decline in 2022, losing 110,000 students. It’s the first time state enrollment has dipped below six million in more than a decade. The pandemic exacerbated this decline, which has been caused by a declining birth rate, the high cost of living in many California communities, and other factors.

Three years ago, the California Department of Finance projected an 11.4 percent decline in statewide enrollment by 2031, a loss of 703,000 students from pre-pandemic 2019-20.

While the state compensated districts for the decreased enrollment during the pandemic, that funding is disappearing. Because district funding is tied to student enrollment, declines in enrollment negatively impact our budget. 

The Budget

State funding frequently does not fully cover the full needs of education. For HUSD, when costs exceed the district’s allotted state funding, HUSD must make difficult choices about how and where to spend money. While we want to avoid cutting resources in the coming years, the district is facing a challenging fiscal environment.

At HUSD we put students and families first. We understand that to better serve our students we need to support the staff who directly serve them. At the same time, we need to be responsible stewards of taxpayer funding. We look forward to continued productive negotiations with our labor partners, and we are confident that we can ensure the right balance.