The Riverbank Teachers Association and the Riverbank Unified School District were at the negotiations table yet again this past Tuesday, March 15 at the district office trying to resolve the question of salary increases and other contract issues. After staying at a stalemate at the negotiating table for several weeks, representatives of both the RTA and RUSD agreed to file for impasse. Filing for the impasse means they will be moving on to the next step in the negotiation process which is mediation.

The Public Employee Relations Board (PERB) is the group that will provide a mediator to assist the two parties with the negotiations in hopes of reaching an agreement.

According to District Superintendent Daryl Camp, the mediator can advance the negotiations to the fact finding stage.

The teachers have rallied together along with parents and students throughout the negotiations process. Parents have collected 150 signatures petitioning the school board to settle the contract with teachers and they quietly protested in front of the District office during negotiations this past Tuesday. Teachers are also doing some picketing before and after the school day at sites in the district a couple of days a week.

“Until we settle, we plan on maintaining our current efforts,” said Richard Beatty, RTA Organizer.

The effort includes the scheduled picketing in front of the schools and “giving parents information and updates about what is happening,” he added.