Published
3 years agoon
Fresno Unified’s teachers’ union says the district has violated its contract by improperly spending millions of dollars — perhaps as much as $150 million over the past three years — to cover retirees’ healthcare costs with money that’s supposed to be spent only on active employees.
Related Story: Fresno Unified, Teachers Agree on Historic 3-Year Contract
Bonilla said the teachers’ union contract specifies that the district’s contributions to the Health Fund be used for active employees only. But an estimated 31% of the Health Fund has gone to cover retiree medical costs, he said.
FTA President Manuel Bonilla
Diverting money to retirees’ healthcare has shortchanged active employees, the union contends.
If the district’s spending of Health Fund money had covered only active employees, Bonilla said, “we’d be able to increase the amount of coverage for active employees, and we would have a higher reserves level in the Health Care Fund.”
Bonilla said that once the district responds to the union’s grievance, the union can seek to negotiate a settlement with the district. If that doesn’t happen, the union can then take the matter to binding arbitration, he said.
Nancy Price is a multimedia journalist for GV Wire. A longtime reporter and editor who has worked for newspapers in California, Florida, Alaska, Illinois and Kansas, Nancy joined GV Wire in July 2019. She previously worked as an assistant metro editor for 13 years at The Fresno Bee. Nancy earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her hobbies include singing with the Fresno Master Chorale and volunteering with Fresno Filmworks. You can reach Nancy at 559-492-4087 or Send an Email
Fresno Teachers Tell Union: If No Contract by Sept. 29, Call A Strike Authorization Vote
Downtown Fresno Street Closing at Noon for Teachers Rally
Fresno Teachers Seek 27% Raises, $27,500 Bonuses, COLAs & Other Perks Over 4 Years
Fresno Schools May Lose Social Workers Over Teachers Union Complaint
Fresno Trustees Make It Clear: Student Literacy Must Improve ASAP
FUSD Says Teachers Are Mulling Strike Authorization Vote. FTA Says They Aren’t.