Gustine Unified School District (GUSD) and Gustine-Romero Teachers Association (GRTA) have started negotiations surrounding a new collective bargaining agreement.
The Board of Trustees and GRTA are negotiating for a new agreement for the 2025-26 school year as the current agreement expires on June 30, 2026. A public hearing of the district’s Sunshine Proposal was held during last Wednesday’s board meeting.
The district’s proposed changes to four articles: salaries, fringe benefits, teacher’s work year and peer assistance and peer review (PAR). According to the agenda item documents, GUSD proposed an increase to salary and fringe benefits while focusing on being financially feasible for the next three school years. The district is also proposing one or two more days for classroom preparation. Additionally, GUSD plans on updating its language in the PAR section.
During this school year, both parties can negotiate changes to two articles.
Both parties came to a tentative agreement on the current contract on Feb.27, 2024. According to a joint statement, two changes occurred during the 2023-24 school year including a 6.5% increase to the salary schedule and $500 increase to health benefits, increasing from $14,000 to $14,500 annually.
The following school year saw another salary schedule increase of 80% that was determined by Cost-of-Living Adjustment. Additionally, there was an additional professional growth day for teachers.
District Superintendent Bryan Ballenger said both parties coming to an agreement could take from a couple hours to several months. He added that both sides send out their initial proposal and counter proposals if there are disagreements on the contract’s language. In some cases, there are multiple counter proposals.
Ballenger is “100% confident” that both parties can come to an agreement. “Until we sit down and show our cards to each other, I’m not sure what the agreement is going to look like. I’m fully confident that we can reach an agreement,” he said.
The Connect reached out GRTA President Tracy Bedford for a request for comment but have not heard back.
Navtej Hundal is a freelance reporter based in Stanislaus County.
