Author: natomasteachers

WE REACHED A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT!

After more than a year of deadlocked negotiations with NUSD, we knew that winning a fair contract required shifting the power balance in Natomas. While a strike is always a last resort, some victories can’t be won without one. For seven days, our lines held with over 97% of educators on strike. Our solidarity remained unbreakable, and our community support grew. By standing together, we achieved:Wages: We forced NUSD to more than double their pre-strike wage proposal, and put real money on the table to keep educators in Natomas.Healthcare: We forced NUSD to make a huge investment into our healthcare and secured a pathway for fully funded family healthcare, and a process to transition to a better, more affordable healthcare pool.Classroom supports: From SLP caseloads to increased prep time, to a real process for support on classroom safety, we won critical improvements to teaching and learning conditions.For the term of this agreement we forced NUSD to invest over $22 million dollars into educator salary and benefits ALONE. That doesn’t include significant other financial improvements on Hourly/Extra Duty Pay, Class Size Overages, and more.  This table represents JUST the wins we achieved since we declared impasse in October. A more detailed comprehensive breakdown of every tentative agreement and the total cost of our package is being prepared by our team and will be sent to all members prior to the general membership meeting and vote.

Every signed TA can be found HERE Important payroll information: Everyone will receive a regular check at the end of March.At the end of April, you will receive new healthcare money, and a 3.5% salary increase  At the end of May, in addition to those increases, you will also receive a lump sum retro payment for July2025 – March 2026. On this check, you will see the 7 strike days docked, but it will not impact your bottom line.On July 1st, 2026 you will receive another 2% ongoing increasePlease remember to turn in your NTA Hardship Fund forms by no later March 20th! Our E-board will review and approve applications in early April.One key lesson we’ve all learned during this strike: In order to truly achieve the schools our students deserve we will need to continue to grow our power and build with our parents and community. This fight has fundamentally changed the culture of both our union and the district. NTA is stronger than ever – and NUSD knows it. Our unity and community won a tentative agreement that we can be proud of. Next steps: NTA Executive Board meets tonight, March 19thNTA Rep. Council meeting on Monday, March 23rd at 4:15pm on zoomGeneral Membership meeting on Monday, March 23rd at 5pm on zoom Online TA Ratification vote on Thursday, March 26 NUSD Board Meeting for ratification on Friday, March 27

SOLIDARITY WITH TRUE

In solidarity, Nico Vaccaro, NTA President Rachel Green, NTA Vice President

Our power brought the District back to the bargaining table today! Our solidarity has never been stronger. From the electric energy on our picket lines to the incredible outpouring of community support, we have made it clear that we won’t back down until we solve the staffing crisis for our students. The tide is turning because we’ve held the line. Let’s keep the pressure up while our bargaining team is at the table. We’ve launched a new online petition to take action. Let’s make it clear that NTA’s proposal is the roadmap to keep teachers in Natomas and fully staff our schools for our students. Let’s keep the pressure on!

In solidarity, Nico Vaccaro, NTA President Rachel Green, NTA Vice President

In another display of NUSD’s refusal to end this crisis, district leadership called the cops on a concerned Mom who was asking for a meeting with administrators. After peacefully sitting in the NUSD lobby for hours waiting for district leadership to address her concerns, the parent of an elementary school student was handcuffed, arrested and separated from her child.  This is unacceptable. Instead of engaging with its community, NUSD wasted time and taxpayer money intimidating district parents.  Throughout the day NTA leadership have been working to get this courageous parent released while also engaging with NUSD and calling on them to settle a fair contract now, ending the strike and getting us and our students back to school. Our bargaining team has been at the ready since 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, when NUSD rejected our roadmap proposal for a fair contract that ends the staffing crisis.  Stay tuned for updates from our bargaining team. It’s clear the district feels backed into a corner. Our resolve has strengthened in the face of the district’s disrespect. Our community stands united. We will win. ACTION ALERT: Let’s continue to turn up the heat on NUSD by liking, sharing, and commenting on NTA’sMOST VIRAL POST IN HISTORY! Tag @NUSDSuperintendent & @NatomasUSD

CLICK HERE

TWIN RIVERS STRIKE UPDATE

This afternoon, Assemblymember Maggy Krell requested both TRUE and TRUSD returning to bargaining. Both parties received a proposal drafted by the Assemblywoman on healthcare. In addition to discussions on healthcare, they also began a more general discussion on other outstanding items, particularly those items with an economic impact.  Tonight, TRUE is holding a candlelight vigil to keep the pressure on TRUSD to settle a fair contract and end the strike.

WEST SAC FACT FINDING UPDATE

Today, hundreds of West Sac educators and community members rallied during WSTA’s Fact Finding hearing. It was clear from the hearing that the school district is feeling pressure to invest in students NOW due to the Twin Rivers and Natomas strikes. Together, we are changing public education in all of our districts!

NATOMAS IN THE NEWS:

Check out some of the news coverage as our fight for the schools we all deserve continues! KVIE: Health care benefits key sticking point in Sacramento County teacher strikesKVIE: Twin Rivers, Natomas parents ‘fed up’ with districts as strikes continueSac Bee: Natomas parent staging sit-in with child arrested at district officeABC 10: Parent arrested on trespassing charge at Natomas school district office during strikeCap Radio: One week into Natomas Unified teachers strike: Parents fed up, one arrestedEdSource:Thousands of students affected by teacher strikes in Sacramento region

In solidarity, Nico Vaccaro, NTA President Rachel Green, NTA Vice President

NUSD Board and Superintendent Castillo: Stop Ignoring Our Community, Agree To NTA’s Fair Contract Proposal NOW!

NTA members are on strike with one clear goal: to solve the crisis in our schools that leaves 800 of our students sitting in classrooms every day without a permanent teacher. We want to be back in our classrooms with our students, and yesterday during a 17-hour marathon bargaining session, our NTA bargaining team made a proposal that is a direct roadmap to ending the staffing crisis and getting us back to our students. Our team waited 17 hours for the district to propose essentially the same salary offer they gave us BEFORE the strike began. If it wasn’t enough then, it’s not enough now. Below is a side-by-side that shows our proposals, the district’s counter proposals, and the cost difference between the two. It’s simple. NUSD not only has the resources to invest in our students but is in a uniquely strong financial position with growing enrollment and significant new state funding, including $16.6 million in new, ongoing revenue and $5.3 million in additional budget flexibility. They have the money to invest in the people who make our schools work.

We are determined to win the safe, stable schools our students deserve. We are fueled by the incredible energy of our educators, parents, and students, and we will not back down! With tens of millions in new ongoing revenue, additional budget flexibility, and massive reserves NUSD can end this crisis today!

TUESDAY ACTION PLAN:

STRONG, JOYFUL MORNING PICKETS AT EVERY SITE– Today, Fox40 said they saw MORE people picketing than on Day 1! (link below) Our power is only growing! CAR CARAVAN: Meet at North Natomas Regional Park by 9:15am to decorate your car, receive a route map, and hit the streets to share our message! Carpooling strongly encouraged. Stay tuned for an afternoon/evening action! It’s time for the School Board and the Superintendent to do their jobs: supporting educators and students!

NATOMAS IN THE NEWS:

Check out some of the news coverage as our fight for the schools we all deserve continues! SACRAMENTO BEE: Natomas High students stage walkout in solidarity with striking teachersABC 10: Natomas teachers strike enters week two as parents worry students are falling behindABC 10: Natomas students march in solidarity with teachers as strike enters second weekKVIE Abridged: As Sacramento teacher strikes continue, some question decision to keep schools open Fox 40: Negotiations continue between Natomas Unified and striking educators, teachers (Reporter notes that they see DOUBLE the numbers out on the line than they saw on Day 1!)

In solidarity, Nico Vaccaro, NTA President Rachel Green, NTA Vice President

Tomorrow We Hold the Line For Our Students and Each Other!

Our NTA bargaining team came to the bargaining table on March 15 ready to solve the current crisis and get our educators and students back in the classroom. We arrived with a clear mission to reach a fair agreement that reflects the value of the professionals who serve this community every day. Our team understands that the heart of this struggle is healthcare and affordability. You cannot solve a recruitment and retention problem if the people you hire can’t afford to take care of their families. To fix the staffing shortage, we must ensure that educators have access to sustainable fully funded family healthcare and competitive salaries that actually allow us to stay in Natomas Unified. Our team made a proposal that offered reasonable solutions to make healthcare affordable for educators. Our offer can ensure that Natomas can finally:Recruit the best talent for our growing community.Retain the experienced educators our students already know and love.Bring real stability to our schools instead of seeing over a hundred educators leave in one year.While NTA proposed a comprehensive path toward fully funded healthcare coverage for educators and their families, NUSD continues to reject a plan for fully funded healthcare coverage that won’t result in a pay cut when healthcare costs rise. NUSD’s salary proposal – just 2% for 2025-26 and 2.25% for 2027-28 remains wholly inadequate. It fails to close the pay gap with neighboring districts or address the crisis of retaining talented educators in Natomas. The graphic below shows how low current NUSD salaries are for mid-career educators with 10 years of teaching experience compared to other area districts that have reached agreements on salary increases in 2025-26.

Despite our team’s readiness to reach a serious and fair resolution, the district has refused to end the staffing crisis and get educators and students back in our classrooms. This is unacceptable to NTA members and our community. NTA members will continue to hold the line tomorrow. You can find our most recent comprehensive proposal HEREYou can find the district’s comprehensive proposal HERE

In solidarity, Nico Vaccaro, NTA President Rachel Green, NTA Vice President