Is support growing for a Clovis teachers union? What both sides say is happening
Teachers backing what would be Clovis Unified’s first-ever teachers’ union say they hope to have a new contract negotiated by the start of the next school year this fall.
A group of CUSD teachers, The Association of Clovis Educators, or ACE, launched a petition earlier this month and have started gathering signatures to unionize. Clovis teachers unionizing would be a historic move in the district. CUSD is the largest school district in California without a teachers union.
Teachers said they have felt excluded from the decision-making process for many years, but the coronavirus pandemic heightened those feelings. CUSD teachers have been talking about starting a teachers union since at least July when the district decided to reopen its campuses despite surging cases.
To unionize, a majority of teachers must sign a petition agreeing to unionize. There are around 2,000 teachers employed by CUSD, and 50% plus one need are needed to sign the petition.
If Clovis Unified were to have a teachers union, other certificated staff could also be covered — nurses, psychologists, and school counselors. However, nurses, psychologists, and school counselors would each also have to get 50% plus one signature from those employed.
In terms of signatures gathered, ACE has had a “successful rollout,” said Kristin Heimerdinger, a Buchanan High School teacher and ACE spokesperson. ACE is choosing to keep the number of signatures private, she said. ACE hopes 60% of educators will sign.
Another group of CUSD teachers has been speaking out against unionizing. The Clovis Teachers for Clovis website urges the district to keep its faculty senate, which is the organization that represents teachers at the district level during decision making.
There’s been a lot of mixed opinions on how Clovis Unified has handled reopening schools during the coronavirus pandemic, said Joni Sumter, a Clovis High School teacher for 24 years. The teachers who support unionizing are using people’s “fears, dissatisfaction, and discontentment on how things are going right now,” she said.
“I think the support in the district for unionization is probably larger than anyone would have thought,” Sumter told The Bee’s Education Lab. “I will not be part of the union regardless of what others choose, nor will I pay union dues or be part of the CTA” (California’s Teachers Association).
Fact-checking by the Ed Lab
Heimerdinger said there has been a lot of confusion and misinformation floating around about how having a union would affect teachers and students.
The Ed Lab put together a list of facts about how unions work that has been fact-checked by Felix DeLaTorre, general counsel for the Public Employment Relations Board, or PERB. PERB is an administrative agency that makes sure the unionization process is followed correctly.
When an employer signs a petition that is considered a “vote” to unionize.
After about a year, signatures on petitions become stale.
School districts cannot be involved in the unionization process or support a pro-union or anti-union campaign.
Public employees cannot deter nor discourage employees from joining a union.
School district trustees do not vote on unionizing — if there are 50% plus one signature the law says teachers will have a union.
When a union is certified as the exclusive representative, school districts cannot make changes to hours, wages, and other conditions of employment without notifying the union and bargaining.
Sumter said many things could change if teachers decide to unionize but said she has faith in the existing processes. Teachers can go directly to their school site administrators if they have any problems or concerns, she said, and they can go to the faculty senate if needed.
“We respect our colleagues who are willing to step into faculty senate leadership positions and do that work on behalf of teachers but unfortunately, the system they are working in is designed to fail,” Heimerdinger said. “By which I mean, faculty senate has no meaningful voice. The district does not have to listen to (the) faculty senate and can bring issues to the district’s attention and ignore them and proceed how they would like ... faculty senate is a failure by design.”
Heimerdinger said ACE does not want to change the core values of Clovis Unified and said unionizing was needed because Clovis teachers “don’t have any avenue right now to demand district do a better job.”
The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab on our website.
This story was originally published April 22, 2021 at 11:15 AM.