This March marks the beginning of a third year of negotiations between the Berkeley Federation of Teachers and the Berkeley Unified School District, and we have yet to reach a settlement. Over 25 negotiations sessions occurred before impasse was declared in June of 2004, and now the process is directed by a state mediator. Because progress has been minimal, extremely slow and frustrating, Berkeley teachers have worked without a salary increase for the past two years. At the same time, our working conditions have deteriorated. Class sizes have increased dramatically in grades 4-12, as has the amount of assessments and paperwork that we are required to submit. Despite limited and inadequate instructional supplies, we have been asked to assume a range of new responsibilities, well beyond our workday.
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