GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - At the last Gridley Unified School District Board Meeting, the California Schools Employee Association (CSEA) addressed board members on the issue of a pay increase and fixed salary.

Before the Wednesday, August 18th GUSD board meeting, district classified employees, which includes instructional aids, office clerks, custodians, cafeteria workers, translators, media clerks, librarians, health office aides, maintenance/grounds workers, IT technicians and more, protested outside the district office. Holding signs saying, “WE ARE ESSENTIAL”, “Tell the Truth” and “Fix Our Salary,” staffers vented their frustrations regarding current negotiations, or lack of, with the GUSD Superintendent, Jordan Reeves, and his negotiating team of Heather Naylor, GUSD Chief Business Officer and Julie Vang, GUSD Personnel Manager. Earlier this month, GUSD Superintendent declared Impasse between the two negotiating bodies.

CSEA President, Antionette Hudson took to the podium first to address the board and circulated handouts to those in attendance containing both CSEA’s proposal and the last proposal from the district. She said, “It seems like we are miles apart when we are really not that far apart as far as the percentage we are asking for.” Additionally, she asked the board to be “continuously present in our future negotiation meeting so we can truly negotiate in good faith.” Allegedly, no board members have been allowed at the negotiation table.

Hudson was followed by negotiation team member, Colleen Haymond, who stated, “The current Gridley Unified checks and balances system seems to have a problem: The school board has not been given accurate information regarding the negotiation meetings. The transportation department has not been given accurate information regarding the mediation process. The classified staff negotiating team has not been given accurate information regarding the district’s finances or the feasibility of our proposed pay increase.” 

CSEA Vice President and member of the negotiating team, Angelina Hopoate, read the GUSD mission statement aloud and said, “GUSD cannot put its students first if they put their classified employees last.” Numerous staff members and parents addressed the board, including students from Gridley High School, Ella Hughes, Audrey Johnson and Kirsten Muzzy, who spoke out in support of classified staffers and the important roles they had played in each girl’s lives. A frustrated veteran with GUSD, Melinda Carr, from Wilson School read aloud a letter to the board, “With a heavy heart…. I’m handing in my letter of resignation after 20 years, because I do not feel valued, or appreciated in this district.”

The board heard the comments and concerns, adjourning to closed session at 7:30 to review items from the meeting's agenda. They allegedly did not adjourn from closed session until nearly 10:00 that evening with no notable reportable action.

The CSEA writes, “The negotiating team is asking for the classified staff salary schedule to be updated to meet the current minimum wage, as the schedule currently starts at $12.33, and employee pay has not been increased incrementally as minimum wage has increased. With the higher minimum wage, a newly hired employee would earn as much as an employee who has worked for the district for four years.”

A meeting with an Impasse mediator, with both GUSD and CSEA negotiation teams at the table, has been scheduled for September 2nd.