The same day the Sweetwater Union High School district unions banded together to cast a vote of 'no confidence' for their superintendent Jesus Gandara, the district announced it will be rescinding 48 layoff notices and withdrawing its two percent salary reduction proposal.
The employee unions - all six of them - took the action Monday for the first time in the district's history, according to KPBS reporter Ana Tintocalis.
The unions have been working for a year without a contract and are demanding Gandara's resignation because he doesn't ask for employee input and they feel he doesn't want to reach a consensus with workers.
On Saturday, the district received $12.2 million in funding as part of the federal government's stimulus funding to the states, according to a district release. That money will be allocated over the next two fiscal years.
"This $12.2 million is a huge sigh of relief for the Sweetwater District," said Board President Jim Cartmill. "We have been working tirelessly to find responsible ways to close our $11.6 million budget deficit. This funding helps us do just that."
The district said it had already rescinded 72 layoff notices to teachers and counselors as a result of an Early Retirement Incentive offered to all employees.
As for the no-confidence vote, the district spokesperson told KPBS it was a union tactic to get a "status quo contract right now, but we don't have a status quo economy right now."
