United PCS declared impasse in bargaining on Wednesday, 12/14. Below, see our letter to the PCS community; this is the letter that was printed on the flyer handed out this past Tuesday, 12/20.
Dear PCS Community,
Last Wednesday, December 14, United PCS made the decision to declare impasse in the bargaining process. Impasse occurs when an agreement cannot be reached and therefore a third-party, state-appointed mediator meets with both sides to examine the situation and attempt to help them reach an agreement. United PCS has been in bargaining since March 10th, 2022. We appreciate all the time that the PCS Board of Directors has put towards bargaining, and the progress that has been made.
Bargaining is a community conversation. Our school is a public charter, funded entirely by California and local taxpayer money, supplemented by the generous donations of families who send their children to us with the hopes that our school is well-staffed and resourced. We’re at a point in our negotiations where PCS teachers clearly see a disconnect between what they have been advocating for at the bargaining table, at Board meetings and to the PCS community, and what the PCS Board of Directors is proposing in response. It’s clear to us that the Board and its representatives are not yet willing to prioritize addressing the serious inequities in our contract that are hurting our school community. The version of the budget that the PCS Board has presented, our analysis of school finances and what is possible, and budget comparisons with other local charters and other schools, will be the subject of a community conversation in the months ahead.
We want to emphasize our continued commitment to working collaboratively with the entire PCS community to address these issues. We are disappointed that we have reached impasse, but are optimistic and hopeful that we can have more productive, transparent conversations moving forward.
Finally, we are asking you, our larger community, for your continued support. We work at PCS because we love this school and its extraordinary students. We are advocating for a more equitable contract because we know firsthand that this is foundational to addressing faculty turnover and providing the stable, supportive environment that our students need. We are so grateful to the parents, alumni and former faculty who have already written and spoken at PCS Board meetings on our behalf.
If you have not yet done so, please subscribe to our mailing list on unitedpcs.org for updates, and follow our Instagram @unitedpacificcollegiate. Contact the PCS Board of Directors or, even better, attend a PCS Board Meeting and share a public comment in support of PCS Faculty. Interested in other ways to support us, or have other ideas to contribute? Reach out using our contact form.
Wishing you and your families a restful and joyful holiday season.
In Solidarity,
United PCS