LGTA President Pierre-Lynne Finney is interviewed by the press

LEMON GROVE-  After thirteen bargaining sessions and an additional meeting with a state mediator, Lemon Grove Teachers Association (LGTA) signed a three-year tentative agreement with Lemon Grove School District (LGSD) that ended fifteen months of increasingly contentious negotiations.

Both LGTA and LGSD identified the need for effective staff development time. LGTA agreed to an additional day to be added to the school year, while LGSD agreed to enhance the salary schedule by one-half percent to cover the additional work time.

Provisions of the three-year agreement also include a salary increase that, according to LGTA President Pierre-Lynne Finney will “… ensure Lemon Grove can compete for the next generation of outstanding educators for this community.”

Finney credited her members, who rallied at school board meetings, even on weekends, to send a strong message that LGTA members wanted a fair settlement.

That settlement includes a retroactive increase of two percent beginning in July of last year, and an additional 1% beginning in July of 2018, and will come without the district-requested provision that may have prevented additional negotiations for salary enhancement. Instead, LGTA will reopen salary negotiations for the 2019-2020 school year.

LGTA leadership anticipates a strong vote of support at the ratification vote to be taken in the next few weeks.