Sacramento, CA - On behalf of the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education, Board President Christina Pritchett today issued the following statement regarding the negotiations agreement reached on Thursday, February 3, 2022, between Sac City Unified School District and SEIU Local 1021, the district’s labor partner that represents many staff who provide services that benefit students, including bus drivers, bus attendants, nutrition services staff, custodians, and instructional aides.

“The Sacramento City Unified School District has made remarkable efforts to reach an agreement that  provides one-time stipends for all staff to recognize the hard work of our classified workers who help us keep our schools open. The signed agreement also provides leave for staff who need to take time off due to COVID, provides a stipend for staff who are fully vaccinated, and for those who attend work for scheduled shifts on Fridays, Mondays, and Tuesdays after a holiday to mitigate COVID-related staffing shortage challenges. While we had hoped to also provide an additional stipend to recognize bus drivers, bus attendants and nutrition services staff for the critical direct services they provide for students, we could not reach agreement.

“We support the wellbeing of all students and all staff, and we recognize and appreciate the invaluable and essential work of staff to keep our schools open and serving our students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Any suggestion that the district directs staff to work without PPE protection, to work when ill or if exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19 is false. The district has robust policies in place to protect the health and safety of students and staff. Its Return to Health plan specifies that if any Sac City Unified employee is feeling symptoms of illness or tests positive for a COVID-19 infection, they are directed to remain home, or are sent home immediately if already at work or school.

“In addition, Sac City Unified has distributed PPE, including N95 masks, to all staff members, provides ongoing access to COVID testing for all staff and students, and hosts vaccination clinics for staff, students and the community. These measures protect Sac City Unified students, staff and families and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

“We look forward to continued conversations and efforts to recognize the work of all staff who have helped us keep schools safe and open so our students can learn in-person.”

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Additional background:  The guidance for staff and students regarding symptoms and return to work/school requirements may be found in Sac City Unified’s Return to Health Plan: Appendix B – Illness and Symptoms Guidelines for Staff and Students at https://returntogether.scusd.edu/sites/main/files/file-attachments/hs_appx_b.pdf?1635269397