Natomas and teachers to return to bargaining table Thursday night
Natomas Unified School District and Natomas Teachers Association will return to the bargaining table Thursday night in hopes of reaching a deal that will end the teachers strike.
Around 700 Natomas educators took to the picket line beginning Tuesday, rallying for increased pay, improved benefits and smaller class sizes. District officials say that meeting the union’s demands would require $35 million in program cuts for students and possible insolvency.
The union is asking for an 8.5% salary increase over two years, 100% fully funded Kaiser health care and class-size caps. So far, the district has offered a 4% raise and full funding for a lower-tier health plan through June 2027. The district’s proposal is in line with the recommendation from an independent fact-finding committee.
Natomas Teachers Association President Nico Vaccaro said that the district’s offer is not enough to address the problems local teachers are facing.
“We’ve said time and time and time again, our asks are reasonable,” Vaccaro said Monday. “It’s a prioritization issue. They’re spending millions of dollars each year on contracting out consultants where they could be focusing on keeping permanent staff here.”
Hundreds of teachers, parents and students filled the Natomas Unified district office during its board meeting Wednesday night calling on the board to cede to the union’s demands. Natomas teachers converged with fellow striking unit Twin Rivers United Educators to march on Tower Bridge Thursday morning.
