The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District and Public Educators Association are currently at an impasse in their contract negotiations.
Due to the impasse, factfinding through the district will be conducted on May, 7. Both parties have agreed to proceed to fact-finding.
“It's a three-person panel, one cited by us, which would be school services in California," Superintendent Dr. Curt Dubost said. "The teachers select one of the panelists and then there's a neutral third party and they listen to both sides and they say, we think you can afford this or we don't think you can afford that.”
The Public Educators Association thinks the school district can afford the 8% wage increase according to the president.
Paso Robles Public Educators President Bernadette Boddington says there are more than 350 teachers employed by the district and half of them are working a second job.
“The district got an 8.3 cost of living adjustment from the state," Boddington said. "And all that we are asking is to get some of their cost of living adjustment passed on to our teachers.”
Boddington says every year, the district loses teachers to San Luis Obispo, King City, and the prison system.
“Every year, about 50 of our teachers leave the district," Boddington expressed. "I would say about 10 or 15 retire in the rest of the teachers. They just move out of the area or find different jobs because they can't afford to, you know, to have a standard of living with while we make here in Paso," said Boddington.
According to district Superintendent Dr. Curt Dubost, the district is spending its reserves and does not have the money for an ongoing raise. He says a 4% raise was given two years ago, and a 10% raise last year.
“Paso Robles in the last decade or so, has twice gone through a severe economic crisis and having furlough days and layoffs and things that we just don't want to go through again," Dubost commented
While both parties disagree on what the district can spend on its teachers, both parties wish to come to a mutual agreement on May 7. The Public Educators Association plans on protesting the morning of May 7, at 6:30 a.m. to push for that wage increase.
*The story has been updated to reflect, according to Superintendent Dr. Curt Dubost, a 4% raise was given two years ago, not 14%, and a 10% raise last year.
