Association of Clovis Educators File Unfair Practice Charges Against Clovis Unified for Illegal Behavior That Harms Educators and Students
CLOVIS – The Association of Clovis Educators (ACE) has filed charges with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) regarding Clovis Unified School District’s support of its Faculty Senate, claiming the way the district represents the Faculty Senate’s scope and power, uses district resources and undermines educators’ voices violates state labor law.
CUSD control of Faculty Senate undermines the ability of Clovis educators to have a real and independent say in educational decisions and is illegal under the California Educational Employment Relations Act (EERA).
CLOVIS – The Association of Clovis Educators (ACE) has filed charges with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) regarding Clovis Unified School District’s support of its Faculty Senate, claiming the way the district represents the Faculty Senate’s scope and power, uses district resources and undermines educators’ voices violates state labor law.
ACE leaders believe filing charges with PERB, the agency charged with administering California’s collective bargaining statutes, is necessary to safeguard students and educators and to ensure educators have a real and independent voice in future decisions that impact CUSD schools.
Prior to ACE going public on April 5, Clovis educators have reported increases in class sizes and caseloads, rising healthcare premiums and copays, unreasonable teacher transfers, serious problems identified in climate assessments that go unaddressed and bad decisions about remote work agreements.
ACE’s charges to PERB allege that CUSD administration illegally provides the Faculty Senate with support and violates state law when it controls Faculty Senate affairs through overseeing elections, reviewing the organization’s bylaws and evaluating the Faculty Senate President. This control allows the district to decide whether to address issues that arise as employees do not have collective bargaining rights.
Back in 1983, Clovis educators who were unionizing also filed unfair practice charges against the CUSD administration for illegal interference by supporting and favoring the Faculty Senate. The unfair practice charges were upheld by PERB and CUSD was ordered (among other remedies) to stop contributing financial support to Faculty Senate alone—a ruling CUSD is disregarding today.
Buchanan High School educator and ACE leader, Kristin Heimerdinger, states that “we are concerned that CUSD administration’s control of the Faculty Senate is not only illegal, but it also undermines the ability for Clovis educators to successfully advocate for the improvements our students deserve.”
ACE is made up of educators from across Clovis Unified who are committed to providing their students with the best learning conditions possible. Clovis educators announced the formation of ACE on April 5, 2021, to build a union so educators can have a real and independent voice in the decisions that impact their schools.
Clovis Unified School District is one of the last large school districts in California without a union that represents educators.
For a copy of the letter ACE leaders sent to CUSD administration announcing the formation of ACE and to request that CUSD stop supporting the Faculty Senate, go here.
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