Riverbank Unified School District has reached a tentative agreement on pay and benefits with the classified employees represented by the California School Employees Association. The agreement is contingent upon ratification by a CSEA members vote that was due June 30, after press time for The News.

At a special June 25 meeting, trustees also approved an agreement with unrepresented employee groups such as certificated management, classified management and confidential classified.

For both groups, the agreement is to maintain a zero salary increase for 2008-2009. Whenever the district receives a funded cost of living agreement (COLA) of one half percent or greater, the half percent increase will be placed on the salary schedule.

There will be a reduction in the work year (and consequently pay) in the amount of two furlough days during 2009-2010.

This is with the exception of employees working less than 183 days and employees incurring loss of days due to movement from year-round schedules into traditional schedules.

Whenever the district receives a half percent funded COLA to cover the cost of these two days, in addition to the half percent COLA for pay increase, employees affected by the furloughs will be reimbursed.

The timing of furloughs will be determined between the employees and their supervisors.