Sacramento City Unified principals, support staff get raises ahead of new contract talks

The Sacramento City Unified School District closed out 2023 by closing out two contract agreements with two unions, ensuring pay increases for a range of school employees, ahead of new contract negotiations.

Sacramento City Unified’s new contract with United Professional Educators, a union comprising principals, assistant principals and various instructional and student support staff, gives all members 10% raises retroactive to July 1, 2022.

Principals and assistant principals will see 6% additional raises on top of that, according to a joint news release from the union and district.

“Our board appreciates the service and leadership of our district’s dedicated school site administrators,” district Board of Education President Lavinia Grace Phillips said. “We are extremely pleased that the District and UPE have finalized negotiations regarding compensation for the 2022-2023 school year. This agreement will help our District to continue to attract talented educators to serve in important school site leadership roles.”

The district also reached an agreement with Teamsters Union Local 150 and Teamsters Classified Supervisors, which represent nutrition services supervisors, plant operations and staffers who perform electrical, mechanical, carpentry and maintenance work.

Each of those employees will receive at least 10% pay increases retroactive to July 1, 2022, with some earning an additional 6%, according to a second press release. Union members must still ratify the agreements.

“Teamsters Local 150 is pleased that our bargaining with the District for both our Teamsters and Teamsters Classified Supervisors bargaining groups was courteous, professional and collaborative,” Teamsters Local 150 business agent Alan Daurie said in the press release. “Most important was that both our bargaining teams felt listened to and valued. We look forward to the ratification by our members and approval by the board.”

After years of financial crisis and a teacher strike in 2022, California’s 12th-largest school district found itself with a $23.2 million surplus this year.

Sacramento City Unified teachers similarly received 10% raises in August retroactive to July 1, 2022, with an extra 6% for special education teachers, education audiologists, school nurses, social workers and school psychologists.

The deals come as sweeteners while unions agreed to pursue new contract talks through the 2025-26 school year.