Clovis Unified violated employees’ rights to unionize, board says. Here’s what we know
The California Public Employment Relations Board found Clovis Unified school district violated state law and employee’s rights after an investigation into multiple allegations over the last three years.
The board concluded that Clovis Unified School District effectively blocked teachers’ efforts to unionize while providing compensation, funds, resources and beneficial advancements to its Faculty Senate, considered a union alternative.
Clovis Unified is California’s largest school district without a teachers union.
The Faculty Senate is the district-supported teachers’ group that has operated in Clovis instead of a formal union. The Association of Clovis Educators (ACE) has alleged that the district has unfairly favored the Faculty Senate and engaged in unfair labor practices since it’s founding in 2020.
The district favored the Faculty Senate by providing annual stipends to members, school and office supplies including business cards, covering copier machine expenses, paying for the senate president’s cell phone bill, giving access to district technology and a Save Mart open purchase order for refreshments for meetings and maintaining a district car – including gas costs – for the senate president to use.
Effective immediately, the district is instructed to stop paying annual stipends to Faculty Senate officers and senators, provide lawful support and assistance to all employee organizations equally, and acknowledge – plus support – an extension of time for ACE and the Independent Clovis Unified Educators (ICUE) to validly gather and collect signatures for their representation petitions.
Buchanan High School teacher and ACE spokesperson Kristin Heimerdinger said ACE is “very pleased” that the PERB, “recognized and denounced both CUSD’s and Faculty Senate’s illegal behavior.”
“It’s regrettable that we had to take legal action to compel the district to follow the law,” Heimerdinger said, “but we are thankful that the ruling makes clear their illegal behavior must stop. It’s a good day for all CUSD educators whose rights have been validated.”
Kelly Avants, spokesperson for Clovis Unified, said via email the district was notified of PERB’s 151-page ruling on Thursday morning and said it will continue to analyze the document.
“We can report that some of the issues have already been addressed before today’s ruling,” Avants said. “Today’s ruling appears to say that while Faculty Senate can continue to exist, it (like any other existing employee organization) cannot receive financial support from the District.”
As of Thursday’s ruling, Clovis Unified has 20 days to file an appeal based on the PERB’s findings.
This story was originally published December 7, 2023 at 5:54 PM.