Stockton Teachers Association/CTA/NEA
7330 North West Lane
Stockton, CA 95210
(209) 478-5074
www.cta.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
STOCKTON - Fed up with the school district's tactics of using the state budget crisis to demand health benefit concessions at the bargaining table, more than 300 Stockton Unified teachers and school support workers will rally before addressing the school board meeting Tuesday night.
"The Stockton Unified School District is using the state budget crisis as an excuse to threaten teachers with massive layoffs and to increase our out-of-pocket costs for health benefits," said Bonnie Boggs, president of the 2,300-member Stockton Teachers Association. "Teachers are outraged that a district with $30 million in unrestricted reserves would do this. The state budget crisis is real, but the district's deceptions are not."
The rally Tuesday will also include school employees represented by the California School Employees Association (CSEA) and the Teamsters. CSEA members and teachers are in contract negotiations that have stalled over the district's demand to place a cap on what it pays for health benefit premiums. Elementary teachers also want paid, non-teaching prep time during the school day.
At the state level, CTA is fighting Gov. Davis' proposals to slash $6.7 billion from schools and community colleges over the next 18 months - including immediate cuts of $2.7 billion.
WHAT: Huge protest rally by Stockton Unified teachers and supporters.
WHEN: 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28; the school board meeting is at 7 p.m.
WHERE: School district offices, 701 North Madison St., Stockton.
VISUALS: Teachers with picket signs outside and inside school board meeting.
The Stockton Teachers Association is a chapter of the 330,000-member CTA, which is affiliated with the 2.7 million-member National Education Association.