Temecula Valley USD Teachers Rally For Cost-Of-Living Pay Increase

TEMECULA, CA — After weeks of rallying by unionized Temecula Valley Unified School District teachers — who are calling on the TVUSD's governing board to approve a cost-of-living pay increase — the issue will once again come up for a vote.

During Tuesday's TVUSD governing board meeting, the five trustees are scheduled to decide how to move forward on teachers' salaries for the 2023/24 school year. An agreement between the district and the Temecula Valley Educators Association, California Teachers Association/National Education Association was tentatively reached in mid-September. It called for an 8% compensation increase for union members along with a 1.5% one-time payment.

But on Sept. 26 the deal failed to get majority support from the board. Trustees Allison Barclay and Steven Schwartz voted to approve the agreement while trustees Joseph Komrosky and Jennifer Wiersma abstained. Trustee Danny Gonzalez was absent.

The agreement's lack of board support follows the TVEA's backing of a recall of Gonzalez, Komrosky and Wiersma. Related: NAACP, LULAC Support Recall Of 3 Temecula Valley USD Board Members

As a result, TVEA President Edgar Diaz is now a target of the three trustees, his supporters contend. During a closed-door session of Tuesday's meeting, the five trustees will discuss the "discipline/dismissal/release/complaint" of a bargaining unit member, according to the meeting agenda. It is believed the member is Diaz.

The TVEA represents more than 1,300 members, including teachers, nurses, counselors, social workers, psychologists and speech pathologists, according to the organization.

Ahead of Tuesday's meeting, the district is doling out admittance tickets in an apparent crowd control effort. Read more here.

Ticket distribution starts are 3:45 p.m. Tuesday for the meeting in the TVUSD Conference Center, 31350 Rancho Vista Road, which begins at 6 p.m. for open session (4 p.m. for closed session).

Find Tuesday's meeting agenda here.