Reflecting On Our Approach to Benefits and Salary

Dear ATA Unit Members,

For decades, the ATA has maintained the belief that we “don’t touch the benefits.” This mindset is deeply rooted in our commitment to securing robust healthcare coverage, and rightfully so. This principle has benefitted many, ensuring that educators—both active and retired—have access to strong healthcare coverage. Those who came before us fought hard for these protections, and we honor their contributions.

However, as financial realities shift and costs continue to rise, it’s time to ask: Is this approach still serving active members in the best possible way?

The Reality of Retirement Benefits

When lifetime benefits were first negotiated in 1984 and later extended in 1986, they were a major victory—especially for those hired before March 31, 1986, who remain eligible for them. These benefits provided a critical safety net at the time. In exchange for such benefits, this group accepted low salaries, which were not competitive until they had been with the District for 25 years.

Today, however, most eligible educators access bridge benefits for only a few years before transitioning to Medicare, which begins at age 65. The bridge program covers our health expenses from when we retire until we can access Medicare. While healthcare remains important, our long-term financial security depends more on our salaries and pensions, which sustain us throughout retirement.

This raises an important question: If our long-term financial security depends more on our salaries and pensions, are we sacrificing too much by refusing to adjust our approach to benefits?

The Cost of an Unchanging Approach

By resisting any changes to our benefits, we inadvertently limit our lifetime earnings in several ways:

• Lower salaries now mean lower pensions later, since pensions are calculated partly based on our salaries at retirement.

• Reduced take-home pay affects our financial stability today, limiting our ability to save, invest, and plan for the future.

• We continue subsidizing retiree healthcare costs that were structured decades ago—costs that benefit only a tiny fraction (1%) of current active unit members.

Balancing Benefits and Salaries for a Stronger Future

We are not abandoning our commitment to quality healthcare nor diminishing the support for those already retired. This is about finding a balanced approach that ensures we are fairly compensated while also maintaining quality health benefits.

A strong benefits package is important, but we must recognize that competitive salaries are equally—if not more—critical. Higher earnings throughout our careers improve our financial security now, strengthen our pensions, and ensure long-term stability in retirement.

Moving Forward

As negotiations continue, we must consider the bigger picture:

• How can we ensure our compensation structure benefits both current and future educators?

• Are we willing to accept lower lifetime earnings to sustain a decades-old approach to health benefits that primarily serves former members?

• What will serve us best—not just today, but also in retirement?

Your ATA Bargaining Team is diligently working to secure the best deal possible, considering all important factors. Once a tentative agreement is reached, it will be presented to the membership for review and ratification—ultimately, the decision is yours.

It’s time to have an honest conversation about what financial security truly means for us, now and in the future. Your input is crucial in this conversation.

In Solidarity,

Ralph Hernandez

alhambrateacherspresident@gmail.com

As unit members file for retirement, inquiries regarding voluntary transfer opportunities in the District have surfaced. The form to request a voluntary transfer is available on the District website and the HR department.

Article XVI: Transfers (p. 48) of the contract outlines factors considered when determining which unit members are granted a transfer. They include:

• Possession of an appropriate credential, major/minor and appropriate recent experience for the opening.
  
• Requirements of the District's Affirmative Action program.
  
• The educational needs of the District, such as General Program changes or requirements, the District's Bilingual Program requirements (as approved by OCR-Office of Civil Rights), Special Education Program requirements, changes in graduation requirements.
  
• The most recent written evaluation is satisfactory or better.
  
• The unit member with the greatest District seniority shall receive the transfer, provided the above factors are equal.
  

Upon request of the unit member, the District must provide written reason(s) why the transfer request was denied. The reasons are not grievable and should not be placed in the unit member's personnel file.

Questions? Feel free to reach out to ATA for support.

This is our time to celebrate the power of women in our society, recognize the struggles we have overcome together, and re-commit to charging forward to build an equitable and just society for all.

More than 75% of California’s teachers are women, meaning that honoring the work of teachers is most often about honoring the work of women in our classrooms.

2025’s theme is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations.” This theme honors the strength and impact of women dedicated to education, mentorship, and leadership, inspiring all generations.

View Toolkit

All CTA members are eligible to apply for one of three amazing grant opportunities designed to support innovative educator-led projects for the 2025-2026 school year.

Here's what is available:

• Environmental Education Cohort (NEW!): Up to $5,000 (Environmental Educator Grant) or $20,000 (Environmental Impact Grant) to support projects focused on environmental education and climate change. These grants also offer exciting networking opportunities with a statewide cohort and an in-person convening at a CTA conference!
• Educator Grant: Up to $5,000 for individual educators to impact a classroom or group of students.
• Impact Grant: Up to $20,000 for teams of two or more Educators (three recommended) to make an impact across multiple classrooms or school sites.

Don't miss this opportunity to bring your ideas to life!

If you have any questions, email ift@cta.org.

CASES OF CTA AND ITS LOCALS

1. Huge Win for Employees and Students: PERB Issues Final Decision Finding that Rocklin USD Violated EERA by Unilaterally Adopting a “Forced Outing” Policy. Rocklin Teachers Professional Association v. Rocklin Unified School District, PERB Case No. SA-CE-3136-E. On January 28, 2025, the full Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) issued a decision finding that the Rocklin Unified School District (RUSD) violated the Educational Employment Relations Act (EERA) by unilaterally adopting a policy requiring educators to disclose students’ transgender or gender non-conforming status to their parents or guardians against the students’ wishes. In so ruling, the Board rejected RUSD’s appeal of an earlier decision by a PERB administrative law judge that was fully in the union’s favor.

2. PERB Dismisses Pomona Unified School District’s Unfair Practice Charge Against Associated Pomona Teachers, Citing Untimeliness. Pomona Unified School District v. Associated Pomona Teachers, PERB Case No. LA-CO-1876-E. Pomona Unified School District (PUSD) filed a lawsuit against Associated Pomona Teachers (APT) on October 23, 2023, seeking $279,454 in alleged unpaid 2 reimbursements for presidential release time. APT vigorously challenged the lawsuit, arguing it was preempted by PERB’s jurisdiction and time barred. On March 28, 2024, the Superior Court agreed with APT’s jurisdictional argument and stayed the case, requiring PUSD to first exhaust administrative remedies with PERB and indicating it would dismiss PUSD’s claims after the stay was lifted. On June 10, 2024, after the Court ruled that PERB exhaustion was required, PUSD begrudgingly filed an unfair practice charge with PERB against APT over the release time dispute. PUSD alleged that APT failed to reimburse the District for salary and benefits paid to temporary employees replacing the union president, in accordance with their collective bargaining agreements from 2010 to 2022. Despite the Superior Court’s finding that PERB had priority over the dispute, PUSD maintained that its claim was not actually an unfair practice but just a one-time breach of contract. APT explained to PERB that the agency had jurisdiction because the alleged conduct arguably constituted an unfair practice.

3. Court Overrules Trona Joint Unified School District’s Demurrer, Allowing Teachers’ Salary Uniformity Lawsuit for Retroactive Pay to Proceed. Trona Teachers Association et al. v. Trona Joint Unified School District, SBSC No. CIVSB2407412. On March 5, 2024, the Trona Teachers Association (TTA) and six former Trona Joint Unified School District (District) employees filed a Petition for Writ of Mandate against the District, alleging violations of California Education Code § 45028, which requires certificated employees to receive uniform salaries based on training and experience. The dispute arose after the District refused to issue retroactive salary increases and stipends to former employees who had worked during the 2022-2023 school year but resigned before the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) finalizing those increases was finally ratified in summer 2023.

4. PERB Issues Default Judgment Against Oakland Unified on Failure to Provide Responses to OEA’s Request for Information. Oakland Unified School District, PERB Case No. SF-CE-192-E. For many months, Oakland Unified School District (District) essentially ignored Oakland Education Association’s (OEA) Request for Information relating to an administrator potentially encouraging members to leave OEA based on its support for the rights of Palestinians. OEA filed an unfair practice charge with PERB alleging this failure constitutes a violation of the District’s duty to bargain in good faith.

CTA Sponsored Legislation:

• AB 65 - (Aguiar-Curry - D): School and community college employees: paid disability and parental leave. Grants public school employees up to 14 weeks of leave with full pay when an employee is pregnant or experiences pregnancy-related health issues. Status: Referred to the Assembly Education and Assembly Higher Education Committees.

CTA Opposed Legislation:

SB 64 - (Grove - R) - Education expenses: School Choice Flex Account Act of 2025. Status: Referred to the Senate Education and Senate Revenue & Taxation Committees.

Staying Up to Date - Updated bill positions can be found on the CTA website (www.cta.org) under the tabs: “Our Advocacy” -> “Legislative Advocacy” -> “Legislative Progress Report”, and “CTA Bill Positions”. The list of CTA co-sponsored and priority legislation can also be found under the “Sponsored Legislation” tab.

We Can’t Wait

Our coordinated and collective We Can’t Wait campaign to win the resources our students deserve kicked off on February 4 with events scheduled across the state. More than 77,000 members in 32 locals serving 1 million students statewide launched their campaigns with families and communities to fight for safe, stable, fully staffed and resourced neighborhood public schools that support and nurture all students.

Stay current with ongoing We Can’t Wait news and events on the official website (WeCantWait.info) and encourage members to visit, watch our powerful video and sign up to join our fight. Members can also download official posters and other materials for the campaign directly on the website. View additional talking points for the campaign here.

March 10

- Grievance (4:00 pm, ATA Office)

March 11

- ATA Board of Directors (4:00 pm, ATA Office)

- Board of Education (6 pm, Marengo West)

March 18

- ATA Rep Council (4:00 pm, ATA Office)

April 7

- Grievance (4:00 pm, ATA Office)

April 8

- ATA Board of Directors (4:00 pm, ATA Office)

- Board of Education (6 pm, Marengo West)

April 22

- ATA Rep Council (4:00 pm, ATA Office)

April 29

- Board of Education (6 pm, Marengo West)

May 12

- Grievance (4:00 pm, ATA Office)

May 13

- Joint BOD and Rep Council (4:00 pm, ATA Office)

May 20

- Board of Education (6 pm, Marengo West)

The Alhambra Teachers Association (ATA) exists to protect and promote the well-being of its members; to improve the conditions of teaching and learning; to advance the cause of free, universal, and quality public education; to ensure that the human dignity and civil rights of all children and youth are protected; and to secure a more just equitable and democratic society.

Email: ataoffice3030@gmail.com
Website: www.alhambrateachers.org
Location: 3030 West Main Street, Alhambra, CA, USA
Phone: (626)289-1933
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlhambraTeachersAssociation/