Fresno Unified Classified Workers Protest Layoffs, Hiring Freeze at Board Meeting

Custodians, bus drivers and food service workers packed the Fresno Unified School District board room on Feb. 11 as SEIU Local 521 members and allied union leaders urged trustees to halt proposed layoffs, hiring freezes and wage freezes that speakers warned would damage student services. Fresnoland reported that classified employees “filled the board room,” and workers pressed the board to reconsider cuts at the evening meeting.

Fresno High custodian Luiz Munoz told the board he takes pride in his work and tied staffing to student wellbeing. “I take pride in the work I do because I know that it's important for the health and wellbeing for our students and directly impacts the outcomes,” Munoz said, according to KFSN/ABC30 coverage that was also republished by Yahoo. Manuel Bonilla, president of the Fresno Teachers Association, joined the meeting in solidarity; Fresnoland quoted him saying, “They are the backbone of our schools, they are people who work hard, really hard, and they shouldn’t have anybody minimize their opportunities.” Community member Kristina Holmes-McIntyre urged trustees to use recent student walkouts as teaching moments about civic engagement, Fresnoland reported.

Speakers tied the board’s choices to concrete staffing risks and fiscal pressure. KFSN reported that “at least 30 teacher positions are also at risk,” and custodial, transportation and food-service staff spoke about how vacancies and cuts would affect operations at campuses across Fresno. National Today framed the district’s financial challenge as a $50 million shortfall over the next two years as pandemic-era funding ends and enrollment declines, while Fresnoland reported a deficit “of over $70 million.” Those two figures were described differently in local coverage and have not been reconciled publicly.

Labor timing added urgency to the meeting. KFSN and Yahoo reported that SEIU Local 521’s last contract “expired in June” and that the union is negotiating a next three-year contract with Fresno Unified. KFSN and Yahoo also noted that layoff notices are due by March 15 and that the district’s budget hearings are scheduled to continue “for the next couple of months,” creating an immediate window for board action and union bargaining.

Speakers at the board meeting warned of secondary effects if cuts proceed, including increased burnout among remaining staff, higher turnover and further enrollment declines, an argument cited by National Today and by participants at the Feb. 11 meeting. Local coverage did not include an on-the-record statement from district leadership explaining the budget math or the specifics of any proposed hiring freeze.

With the March 15 layoff-notice deadline approaching and budget hearings ongoing, SEIU Local 521 members and allied educators left the board room urging trustees to reconcile fiscal projections with staffing needs. Fresno Unified parents and staff seeking more detail will likely look to upcoming budget hearings and union negotiations for answers about which positions may be cut and how schools across Fresno will be affected.