San Leandro School Board Approves $15 Per Hour Minimum Wage

The San Leandro Unified School District’s board of education has joined a nationwide trend by voting to raise the minimum wage for all employees to $15 an hour. The school board approved the change on Tuesday, the same day as nationwide “Fight for $15” actions to demand a $15 per hour minimum wage.

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San Francisco and Oakland were among hundreds of cities across the U.S. where there were demonstrations and marches. School district officials said their lowest-paid workers will benefit the most from the change because some of them will see their wages rise from $10 an hour to the new minimum of $15. The San Leandro wage hike had been previously ratified by members of the California School Employees Association last Thursday and was brought to the board of education for final approval on Tuesday.

“We are excited to be raising the minimum wage for all of our employees throughout the district,” John Thompson, the school district’s assistant superintendent for human resources, said in a statement.

“The employees who will benefit the most from this change are those who are keeping students safe, preparing their food and working hard to ensure that day-to-day operations at all of our schools run smoothly,” Thompson said.

Carol Alvarez, the president of the San Leandro chapter of the California School Employees Association, said, “I am very proud of the work our CSEA chapter members did on our job study and in our quest to ensure that our classified employees are valued for their hard work and dedication to the students and families of the district.”

Alvarez said, “We worked for over a year to bring this important change for all of our employees, especially those at the lowest end of our pay scale.”

School district superintendent Michael McLaughlin said, “We are thrilled that the board supported this important initiative. Just as we are working to ensure equity and access for all of our students, we are committed to bringing the best policies and programs to our employees.” McLaughlin said, “Our district is committed to ensuring that its employees earn a living wage. I am honored to be working with a team that values the important work done by all members of our community.”

By Bay City News

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