Teachers approve contract

Following a lengthy and controversial back and forth, the Chico Unified Teachers Association (CUTA) voted Monday (April 13) to ratify the tentative contract agreement with Chico Unified School District for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 school years.

The contract negotiations slogged along for more than a year and reached an impasse in December. Then the state stepped in, forming a fact-finding team, which apparently helped get negotiations back on track. The contract calls for 3 percent salary increase retroactive to last July 1 and a 6 percent increase beginning next Jan. 1. The vote was about 60 percent in favor.

“I am glad this was resolved without a strike,” said CUTA President Kevin Moretti.

The district’s board of trustees was scheduled to vote on the contract Wednesday (April 15), after the CN&R’s deadline.