FRESNO, CA (KMJ ) -The back and forth continues with the Fresno Unified School District and the Teachers Association over contracts.
FTA Associate Director Mo Kashmiri spoke previously with KMJ saying they are frustrated, and the union’s membership decided to hold a strike vote on October third.
On Friday, September 15th, Fresno Unifed’s Superintendent Bob Nelson released a statement about the negotiation progress.
MEDIA RELEASE
Superintendent Bob Nelson Statement on FTA Negotiations
“Fresno Unified and FTA are in the final stages of the negotiation process. We have just concluded mediation and yesterday, we were certified for the next step — fact-finding. Soon, a date will be established and each side will present evidence to a state appointed bargaining panel as part of a fact-finding hearing. The chair of the bargaining panel then prepares recommendations on a settlement based on the fact-finding presentations, which in all honesty could take three to four weeks after our presentations. Upon receiving that feedback, both parties must consider the fact-finding report in good faith and continue to negotiate using the report as guidance in finding a settlement. If attempts to settle after that process are unsuccessful, only then can the District implement its last, best and final offer. Likewise, only then can a union legally go on strike. Therefore, any legal strike cannot occur until after these procedures have been followed.
I remain optimistic that the fact-finding process will provide both parties the opportunity to come together and reach a collaborative agreement.” -Bob Nelson, Superintendent
Click to listen to the story by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
