April 5, 2022
City Council
DATE: April 5, 2022
TO: Mayor Butt and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Councilmembers Gayle McLaughlin, Claudia Jimenez
and Vice Mayor Eduardo Martinez
Subject:
Support Unite Summit affiliated with California Teachers Association for a fair contract at Summit Public Schools FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact to this item
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
The City Council has consistently supported unions
efforts in the past, most recently the union efforts of Hello Fresh workers and the striking workers of the United
Steelworkers at Chevron Richmond refinery.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
Unite Summit is the union representing teachers at
Summit Tamalpais and Summit K2 (both serving
Richmond students). This union is struggling to get their first contract negotiated. It is important we support this effort that has been going on now for two years.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution in support of Unite Summit
educators, who represent teachers at Summit Tamalpais
in Richmond and Summit K2 in El Cerrito (both schools
have a majority Richmond students) in their struggle to negotiate a fair first contract that includes basic job protections and support for English learner students –
Councilmembers Gayle McLaughlin (510-620-6636),
Claudia Jimenez (510-620-6565) and Vice Mayor
Eduardo Martinez (510-620-6593).
AGENDA
REPORT
April 5, 2022
DISCUSSION:
Unite Summit affiliated with California Teachers Association represents teachers at Summit Tamalpais in Richmond and Summit K2 in El Cerrito. Students from Richmond make up the vast majority of kids in both schools. This teacher’s union has been trying to negotiate their first contract for two years.
Of course, in Richmond we care deeply about the education of all of our city’s children, We, in Richmond, are also strong supporters of unions, including unions representing educators who must be able to advocate for their students, professions and educational programs without fear of retaliation.
Charter educators in California do not automatically benefit from Ed Code provisions that provide just cause, due process, and probationary protections such as those applying to certificated educators at traditional district schools, and thus must negotiate basic job protections into their contracts.
It is outrageous that the educators at Summit Public Schools formed a Union (Unite Summit) at their charter schools in the 2018/2019 school year and have been in bargaining for their first contract for over two years.
Since the majority of children attending Summit Public Schools are Richmond students, it is essential that we take a stand in support of the teachers who are charged with the very important task of educating our children. Summit management has thus far refused to agree to sufficient support for English Learner students and a two-year probationary period for educators, and is insisting on the ability to suspend the union contract in cases of emergency.
Over 80% of Unite Summit educators signed a public petition authorizing their bargaining team to call a strike vote if the union’s core demands are not met, and the bargaining team has scheduled a strike vote for Cesar Chavez Day, This resolution calls for us to recognize charter educators’ struggle for job security and better support for their students anywhere in order to protect the teaching profession and public education everywhere.
It also calls for the City Council of the City of Richmond, CA, to strongly support the Unite Summit educators in their struggle to negotiate a fair first contact that includes basic job protections and support for English Learners students.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution