“The ever-increasing trajectory of student achievement stands in stark contrast to the ever-decreasing trajectory of our wages and benefits,” Weiner said. “We have continually been asked to do more with less, and we have delivered, frequently at the cost of our own mental, physical and emotional health.”
The district has so far rejected the Burbank Teachers Assn. proposal to raise the ceiling on health benefits by $1,200.
“We’re not in a position to increase the cap,” said Gabe Soumakian, Burbank Unified’s assistant superintendent for human resources. “If we had the money, we’d certainly consider it, but the district does not and neither do other districts in the state of California.”
Both sides continued discussions on the benefits cap and other matters in negotiations Friday.
“We’re at the table, and I think what you do is you try to look at solutions in a positive manner, keeping the focus on what’s best for kids, but also addressing adults’ needs,” Soumakian said. “That’s what you do. You sit, talk, think and look at options.”
Teachers said the school district should spend some of its reserves to offset premiums for families. For teachers and their spouse or partner, premiums rose about 79%, but hikes for single coverage were on par with increases elsewhere in California.
“Those reserves are made for these times now, and the times we see in the future,” said Brad Frank, a Burbank homeowner and seventh-grade math teacher at John Muir Middle School.
A few years ago, Frank said he had no out-of-pocket health costs, but expects to pay more than $2,500 this year for his family’s coverage.
