Teachers are still pushing for contract agreement

Group grapples with board over benefits, cost of living

By GEORGE MOORE

Teachers working for the Cupertino Union School District have been doing so without a contract since the end of June 2001. Negotiations began last September for a new contract, but as of March 12, an agreement still does not appear to be close.

There was standing room only at the board meeting following the closed session of negotiations--with a large group of teachers having to stand outside the room in the hallway.

"They're going fairly slowly," said Jeff Warner, chair of the Cupertino Education Association. "There is still a difference of opinion as to salary and fringe benefits and how it's going to be presented."

"The teachers were there to let them know how they feel, that they do have real concerns that need to be addressed," said Janice Hagerbaumer, president of the association.

One teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, said they have the feeling that the board is listening, but not hearing them. She said the large turnout of teachers is typical during contract negotiations.

Warner said the major dispute is how much money is going to go toward the cost of benefits, such as healthcare, on an ongoing basis. He added that another stumbling block is how much money the district has and how much it is willing to pay.

Warner said the district received 3.87 percent for the cost-of-living adjustment from the state, plus equalization monies to put them at about 4 percent. He said that historically the district has had good healthcare plans and he would like to see that continue.

The next negotiation meeting is March 20, and Warner expects that the district will counter the association's latest proposal, but said that if no agreement is made soon, they could be looking at some serious difficulties.

"I have no idea where the district is going with this," Hagerbaumer said. "I have a feeling they're trying to stand firm with offering us less than cost-of-living allowance and not a good deal at all on health and welfare."

Hagerbaumer said teachers are concerned about the numbers of their colleagues who are leaving the district. Although enrollment was down, the district had to hire 145 teachers last year. She said some had retired or moved out of the area and others went to neighboring districts, such as Palo Alto, Sunnyvale and Los Altos.

Hagerbaumer said Menlo Park has a parcel tax on homeowners that goes directly to the school district for something specific--it keeps their class size down to 24 even in the upper grades. Palo Alto has a parcel tax that does the same thing and also is geared toward teacher's salaries.

"Teachers who are in the middle range of five to 10 years in Cupertino can go to Palo Alto and be $10,000 a year higher on the salary schedule," Hagerbaumer said. "Our district is asking teachers to begin paying part of their benefits like Palo Alto does. Well, if you're making $10,000 more a year you can afford to pay part of your benefits."

Hagerbaumer said she is afraid that more and more teachers are going to leave. She said the district used to be top heavy--most of its teachers were very experienced. But now the opposite is true.

"Eventually, we could be a district of first-, second- and third-year teachers," she said.

Superintendent William Bragg said the numbers of teachers that were hired last year could be misleading.

"Palo Alto hired 141 teachers and they're about half the size we are," he said. "The reality is the cost of living is so high that they're relocating."

Bragg said the district is working to find possible solutions so its employees can purchase homes in the area.

As far as the contract negotiations, Bragg said he has a sense that everyone wants to work together and get it settled so they can focus on what's important--the children and what's going on in the classroom.

"I think one of the things that needs to be clarified is how much money there is available for compensation," Bragg said. "We need to come together and take a hard look at that and be very clear about it, and then see where we can go."

Hagerbaumer could not agree more. She said if the negotiating team really knew how much money they had--something she said they never really seem to get a straight answer on--they would ask for a reasonable amount.

Bragg called it an interesting year because of budget cuts that were made in Sacramento and then given back. He said one of the negotiation issues is ongoing versus one-time or equalization funds. He said teacher's salaries, health benefits and compensation use ongoing dollars and are expected to be paid for forever. Bragg said the district could not use equalization money in those areas because next year they have to work to find it again, but the money could help in transitioning in certain ways.

"Right now they're looking for a 5 percent salary increase, but a large part of that total cost is health and welfare," Bragg said. "It's a significant increase of its current $7 million funding level."

He said that for the last three to five years the district has provided salary increases that were at or above the cost-of-living adjustment, last year increasing by slightly more than 11 percent. He said the district has been committed and needs to remain that way and work together for a settlement that is fair and equitable, but within the realm of the reality and possibilities of its budget.

He said the contributions of the teachers are highly valued by the district and it would like to see them rewarded, but pressure must be kept on Sacramento for adequate funding.

If a contract has not been negotiated before the next scheduled board meeting on March 26, the teachers will be back to exerting pressure on the district.

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