Nearly five months after declaring an impasse in contract negotiations, Ventura Unified School District and its two unions have yet to reach an agreement.
The district announced Sept. 23 that despite offering Ventura Unified Education Association an updated proposal for certificated staff, the union declined to resume negotiations. The district has now filed an unfair labor practice charge with the state.
District representatives said they hope the complaint will push the union to meet with them either voluntarily or at the direction of the state.
“When one side makes a genuine and meaningful move toward an agreement, and the other refuses to engage at the table, it raises serious questions about whether they truly want to reach an agreement,”
the district’s labor relations team wrote on its website.
VUEA President Sarah McLaughlin said the district’s allegations have no merit.
“We absolutely want to reach an agreement, … and we completely remain committed to good faith bargaining,” she said in an interview. “We are not going to be distracted or divided.”
Contentions rise over healthcare contributions
The district, VUEA and the second union, Ventura Education Support Professionals Association, declared an impasse and entered mediation May 7, six months after contract negotiations began. Talks broke down after over the district’s contribution to employees’ healthcare benefits.
The district currently pays 100% of health benefits for the majority of employees, which cost $27.7 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year and is expected to cost more in coming years. District leadership has said the structure is no longer financially viable and puts staffing levels and student programs at risk.
Ventura Unified already faces a mutlimillion-dollar deficit due to declining enrollment, decreased state and federal funding and rising operational costs. The district previouslyapproved the layoffs of what amounts to more than 45 full-time positions and is planning to close at least one school to reduce expenses.
On Sept. 18, the district offered VUEA a 6% raise for its members — an increase from 2% raise proposed earlier — and moved away from the hard cap on health benefits, allowing members to choose no-cost plans or higher-priced, shared-cost plans.
The district wrote on its website that the latest offer reflected its commitment to improving compensation and sharing responsibility in health benefits while also ensuring financial stability.
Though the district hoped the offer would break the impasse, VUEA refused to return to the table, according to the district.
“It still is shifting the burden of increased healthcare to the employee,” McLaughlin said. “For most employees, with this current offer, it's still going to be a pay cut, and we're not willing to accept a pay cut for any of our members.”
The president said the district’s characterization of the health benefits has been misleading.
Even under the no-cost plans, the deductible would be so high that employees would pay hundreds of dollars out of pocket each month or be priced out of insurance entirely, McLaughlin said. Even taking into account the proposed 6% raise, the majority of employees would still lose money.
She said the unions are advocating for a more equitable healthcare model based on salary, so employees who earn less pay less toward insurance while employees who earn more pay more toward insurance.
‘Trying to divide’ two unions
McLaughlin is also upset that the offer was only extended to VUEA, as the two unions have negotiated together for at least a decade.
VESPA President Carol Peek shares the same sentiment.
“Our perception is they're trying to divide VUEA and VESPA,” Peek said. “There's a feeling that the Ventura Unified School District really just does not care about the classified employee.”
In an email response to The Star, a district labor relations representative disagreed, stating Ventura Unified was able to make a new offer to VUEA because that union only has one unresolved issue, which is total compensation. VESPA, however, has two unresolved issues: total compensation and the effects of layoffs.
The representative, who refused to provide a name, said the district values its classified staff and remains committed to reaching an agreement with VESPA.
Ventura Unified files complaint
The district has now filed an unfair labor practice charge against VUEA with the California Public Employment Relations Board, alleging that the union refused to accept that its proposal broke impasse and refused to negotiate in good faith, according to the website.
Ventura Unified also alleged that the union violated the agreed-upon confidentiality requirements during mediation by posting about specific discussions on its public social media accounts.
“Taken together, these actions can reflect a pattern,” the district wrote on the website. “Under California law, bargaining in good faith means both parties must genuinely try to reach an agreement. The district has done its part.”
McLaughlin said the filing came as a shock.
“I was incredibly surprised, and quite frankly, disappointed,” she said. “We have been bargaining for almost a year now — we started last October — so it feels like the district is trying to distort the credibility of our association with the public.”
The president said the district’s filing should not be equated to a finding. She said that VUEA is committed to good faith bargaining and takes its confidentiality obligations seriously. The union plans to challenge the allegations through the appropriate legal process.
The Public Employment Relations Board will review the charge and speak with both parties to determine whether they can return to negotiations, according to the district. If the dispute remains, a formal review process, including legal briefings and a hearing, may be necessary to reach a final decision.
What's next for district, unions?
Outside of the complaint, both union presidents said the Public Employment Relations Board has already determined that additional mediation sessions would not be productive and certified their organizations for the fact-finding process. A panel of representatives will convene a hearing to collect and review information before a neutral representative makes recommendations to the parties.
The union presidents said that because of the impasse, members’ morale is at an all-time low and anxiety is at an all-time high.
They said that although they are willing to strike if the district’s best offer ultimately results in a pay cut for members, McLaughlin and Peek said they will do everything they reasonably can to avoid striking. They said they do not want their stress to affect students.
“Everything we do in the union and the decisions we make are really to help our employees so that we can help our students,” McLaughlin said. “They are our No. 1 priority.”
The district’s labor representative told The Star that the team will continue good faith negotiations to avoid a strike, but if one occurs, schools will remain open and the district will continue providing students with a safe learning environment.
Makena Huey is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at makena.huey@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation's Fund to Support Local Journalism. The foundation plays no role in story selection. The Star retains full editorial control.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura Unified seeks state intervention after stalled union talks
