By LESTER CHANG
Up to 300 teachers planned to picket Monta Vista High School this morning--the first day of classes for the fall semester--to publicly vent their frustration over stalled contract negotiations.
The Fremont Union High School District and the Fremont Education Association officially declared an impasse Aug. 21, when it became clear that bargaining over teacher salaries had reached stalemate.
In a move that FEA officials said was not a "strike action," disgruntled teachers planned to picket in front of the school from 7 to 7:30 a.m. Immediately afterward, Monta Vista teachers expected to begin classes for the 1996-97 school year.
"Classes will go. We are just making a statement," said FEA President George Gredassoff after negotiators from both sides met on Aug. 20 and 21 and failed to make any progress.
Teachers will not volunteer for extra duties at their schools and will be less willing to work with school administrators on projects, Gredassoff said.
"It isn't surprising," Gredassoff said of the impasse. " I am disappointed that this district has insisted so vehemently on its total compensation, when they knew from he beginning that any attack on benefits would be a strike issue for us."
The district proposes to lump health benefits in with teacher salaries, allowing teachers to the select the health services they want, or no services at all, and to save money.
The union wants to the district to continue to pay for a wide range of health services.
Sellers said the impasse offers a way to ensure that a settlement is reached. "The bargaining team believes in the board's decision that a neutral third party will expedite a settlement," she said.
During bargaining, the FEA's proposals have ranged from asking for a 20 percent raise, down to an 8.6 percent raise, and finally to its current proposal for a 12.3 percent increase.
Through the current proposal, the FEA seeks higher teacher salaries and will accept smaller salary increases for department chairpersons, coaches and other employees.
The FEA said teacher salaries aren't in step with the economy and that the district must offer higher pay to continue to draw top teachers to the district, which has won national and state education awards.
The district, meanwhile, has proposed a 6.38 percent salary increase, saying approval of such an increase would make district salaries comparable those in other school districts.
In addition, the district proposes a health package of $6,600 annually for each teacher. Its proposal, the district said, adds flexibility and financial options for retired teachers.
Both sides, however, remain at odds over district reserves. The FEA, citing figures used by the district, said $9.2 million exists and that $2.5 million would be needed to cover its current salary proposal.
District negotiators, while not immediately having the figures on hand, said some reserves have already been used to cover other district employee contracts.The district also wants sufficient reserves for emergencies and long-term planning.
The FEA maintains the reserves account for about 20 percent of this year's $37.6 million, although the state requires only a 3 percent reserve fund each year.
"Reserves have grown about $2 million each year for the last three years, " said FEA lead negotiator Jim Dawes. "Don't tell me there isn't any money."
Neither side was able to reach an agreement on these issues:
* the length of the contract;
* lengthening the teacher's work day by 25 minutes;
* flexibility of the district to combine classes;
* the district's payment into a health plan for five years for retired teachers; and
* allowing an employee to work part time as an administrator and part time as a teacher.
Negotiators did agree, however, to add five people to help instruct students with limited English skills and on an optional evaluation for tenured teachers.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, August 28, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.