Update on Negotiations between BUSD and Bargaining Units
Berkeley, June 26, 2013 – On May 30th Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) and the Berkeley Federation of Teachers (BFT)announced a tentative agreement for the 2012-2013 contract negotiations subject to ratification by BFT and approval by the BUSD Board of Education.
Since then, BFT has ratified the contract and the Board approved the agreement at the June 19th board meeting. The District will be implementing the “Me Too” provision for Berkeley Council of Classified Employees (BCCE), though negotiations are ongoing. The District has also reached a tentative agreement with Union of Berkeley Administrators (UBA), and is working on an agreement with Local 21.
Recap of BFT Agreement: All BFT bargaining unit wages, including salaries, stipends, daily rates and hourly rates shall be adjusted to reflect a 2.5% increase effective July 1, 2012. Each unit member shall also receive an additional one-time payment equal to 2.5% of his/her 2012-2013 salary. The District contribution to health and welfare benefits remains unchanged. This is in addition to the 1% bonus negotiated for all employees in the fall of 2012.
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Berkeley, CA – May 30, 2013 – The Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) and the Berkeley Federation of Teachers (BFT) are pleased to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement for the 2012-2013 contract negotiations subject to ratification by the BFT and approval by the BUSD Board of Education.
All BFT bargaining unit wages, including salaries, stipends, daily rates and hourly rates shall be adjusted to reflect a 2.5% increase effective July 1, 2012. Each unit member shall also receive an additional one-time payment equal to 2.5% of his/her 2012-2013 salary. The district contribution to health and welfare benefits remains unchanged. This is in addition to the 1% bonus negotiated for all employees in the fall of 2012.
School Psychologists and providers of Designated Instructional Services, with the exception of Speech and Language Pathologists, will be assigned on a district-wide basis.
In reaching this agreement, Co-Superintendent Javetta Cleveland said, “Our teachers are an integral part of our ability to move our vision forward to ensure that all students achieve at the highest level. During the toughest economic times, we worked closely together to ensure that the District stayed solvent. This agreement clearly demonstrates that we value our partnership. We hope to successfully finalize negotiations with our other unions in the near future.”
“This agreement provides a small raise” said Cathy Campbell, BFT President, “while keeping our District within its means and putting the needs of students front and center. The agreement provides some relief to the hard working employees who serve our students and families every day.”
“I am glad that we are in better economic times and are able to reach an agreement that shows our appreciation for the work that our teachers do every day to help our students succeed” said Karen Hemphill, Board President.
We look forward to continued positive working relations as we wrap up 2012-2013 and move into the 2013-2014 school year.