The California Teachers Association has advised the Arcadia Teachers Association to reopen negotiations on salaries for the current year. The 3-year Arcadia contract has no provision for increases in local teachers' salaries.
The Arcadia Teachers Association (ATA) as an affiliate of the California Teachers Association and the NEA was for many years considered the bulwark of professionalism in Arcadia. Now the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has gained important inroads.
Little progress seen in talks with teachers. Neither the district nor the teachers, who are represented by the ATA, have moved from their original salary positions. District is offering 1% increase; the teachers are asking 8% plus 2% in fringe benefits.
The prospect of a strike by Arcadia teachers looms large, after negotiations between school district and teachers' associations officials broke off Wednesday, August 15. The negotiations ended after the 2 parties failed to reach a settlement on their year-long salary dispute. No new talks have been scheduled.
The Arcadia Board of Education ratified a new contract with the district's teachers by a 4-1 vote, but with some reservations about a binding arbitration provision (which would have district-teachers disputes resolved by a 3rd party). The contract includes a 10% salary increase for 1984/85 and an increase from a 177-day a year student school year to 180 days, along with lengthier instructional time per day.
Arcadia teachers picketed the open house at Arcadia High School to protest the 1978-79 raise offered by the Arcadia Board of Education. The teachers claim they received a 3.5% salary adjustment (vs. the average San Gabriel Valley increase of 5.5%) while the Board claims a 5% increase retroactive to December 1, 1978.
The School Board has passed and adopted a new teachers salary schedule for 1975-76. The teachers unions have not yet ratified the agreement. Salaries range from $9553 for a first year teacher to $19,918 for a teacher with extra college credits, including an MA.
The Arcadia Teachers Association has objected to the Board of Education's counterproposals to the teachers' contract proposals. Article indicates what the proposals of both groups are.
With the tax base increase having been approved by the voters on April 15, both Unions representing teachers in Arcadia presented new contract terms to the School Board.
Salary negotiations are still underway with teachers insisting that no strike is planned. Specific salaries are given for various levels: 1. beginning - $9012 2. average - $14,254 3. maximum with masters degree after 14 years - $18,589
An overwhelming majority of members of the Arcadia Teachers Association voted Thursday afternoon to authorize a strike against the district, although no date was set. Eighty-four percent favored strike.
There appears to be some progress in contract negotiations between the Arcadia Unified School District and the Arcadia Teachers Association. Though officials were reluctant to talk about specifics, fear of a strike by the teachers has been allayed.