Teachers in two districts held rallies in recent weeks to protest positions on health care coverage taken by school district negotiators.
On Nov. 25, members of the Sweetwater Education Association demonstrated against the district's proposal to cut back current benefits. "We understand that health care costs have gone up, but ... the district has significantly cut the portion of the budget they spend on employee health care," says Nancy Cummins-Slovick, chair of the bargaining team. Teachers say the extra out-of-pocket expenditure - ranging from $688 to $1,282 - would make it hard to attract the best teachers to Sweetwater, much less keep the ones they've got.
Health care is also a major sticking point for members of the Compton Education Association, who held a rally Oct. 21.
Already among the lowest paid in the county, Compton teachers are "stressed enough without having to come to work every day worrying about their health benefits," says CEA President Elsie M. Truby.
"CUSD will never be able to recruit and retain the teachers this community needs until they start to treat teachers with respect."