Negotiations Continue with CSEA

The Long Beach Unified School District and the California School Employees Association have been negotiating a successor collective bargaining agreement since March 23, 2020. During that time bargaining teams have met on 16 separate occasions for over 90 hours. As a result of this ongoing dialogue, tentative agreements have been reached on 20 separate sections of the contract.

However, two key proposals submitted by CSEA remain at issue: 

1. Amount of district salary increase for 2019-20 and 2020-21
2. Health benefits coverage for part-time classified employees

Health Benefits Overview

In 2018-19, the school district and CSEA agreed to have part-time classified employees pay a proportionate share of the health benefits costs, and the district agreed to pay a proportionate share of the health benefits costs for part-time classified employees selecting the lowest cost HMO medical plan. As part of the current negotiations, CSEA is asking that the employee contribution applied to part-time health benefits be used to augment the district’s maximum beyond the annual 3.5% increase. The district’s contribution toward health benefits is very generous in comparison to most other districts. With health benefit costs increasing on the average of 7% each year, it is important for the district to consider cost containment options in order to manage these rising costs and maintain health benefit options for all employees.

Also, CSEA is proposing adding language to the contract stipulating that employees receive financial compensation if they opt out of medical insurance through the district. While open to the concept, the district believes the most appropriate place for this discussion is through the Health Benefits Committee where all labor groups can be involved. Given that this change impacts employees across the district, it is best to enter this dialogue with a cross representation of staff.

District Salary Proposal

The school district has offered the same raise provided and accepted by the Teachers Association of Long Beach and management employees. This raise includes:

• 1% increase to salary schedules, stipends, and rates of pay for 2019-20 retroactive to July 1, 2019. 
• 2% increase to salary schedules, stipends and rates of pay for 2020-21 retroactive to July 1, 2020.
• An additional one-time, off-schedule payment of 2% for 2020-21 tied to employee earnings for 2020-21.

CSEA has asked for a significantly higher raise with 3% on schedule for 2019-20 and 4% on schedule for 2021-22. While the school district recognizes the significant contributions of CSEA during these difficult times, the district is not able to responsibly agree to this offer if it is to remain fiscally solvent in the future. The district’s offer is competitive and in many cases appreciably higher than what is being offered in most other districts.

Each year the school district has sought to offer fair and competitive compensation packages to its employees. Since the 2013-14 school year the district has increased its employees' ongoing compensation by 18%. Including the current on-schedule salary offer, this amount increases to 21%. In addition to these on-schedule raises, employees have received a total of 3% off-schedule raises. Including our current 2% off-schedule offer, this amount increases to 5%. 

Bargaining teams for the district and CSEA continue working in earnest to resolve any remaining issues. The district will keep classified employees informed in a timely fashion as further progress is made.