Santa Barbara Unified, Teachers Association Have First Meeting with State-Appointed Mediator

With School District and Union Still at Impasse, Mediator Schedules Second Meeting for April 10

Nearly 400 teachers participated in the rally and march on Tuesday, February 13. | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom

The Santa Barbara Unified School District and Santa Barbara Teachers Association (SBTA) have not seen eye to eye on wages since their contract negotiations began last year. After much back and forth, they declared an impasse on January 19.

On Tuesday, March 5, they had their first meeting with a state-appointed mediator, marking the beginning of the mandatory “impasse process” under state bargaining law. The meeting lasted for more than eight hours, and finally concluded with the mediator’s decision to continue at a future session on April 10.

Although these sessions are confidential, the district said it “is encouraged … that the mediator believes it is worthwhile to have a second meeting to continue our discussions in a good faith effort to reach an agreement.”