By LESTER CHANG
The Cupertino Union School District and a teacher's union have produced conflicting proposals in early efforts to renegotiate parts of a contract for 600 teachers.
The proposed changes are modifications to a three-year contract that was adopted last year. Each group said it drafted its proposal without consulting the other. Negotiations are scheduled to begin on Jan. 11.
"We are looking at what changes we want now," said Lew Green, president of the teacher's union. "We have ideas, and they have ideas. It is a matter of priorities at this point."
Patricia DeMarlo, a district negotiator, said she doesn't foresee any problems and that she hopes to quickly resolve any should they arise.
At a meeting last week, the district's board of education approved the district's preliminary proposal.
Key requests from the union:
* Assurance from the district that it has enough funds for insurance policies and psychological services.
* Birth control prescription coverage.
*Twelve days of leave of absence for illness or injury. Teachers receive 10 days now.
* Ten days of sick leave for personal reasons. Teachers are eligible for up to seven days now.
* Teachers who participate in an early retirement district program and their dependents be eligible for full benefits until they reach 65 years of age. After they reach that age, they would be allowed to continue to buy coverage in all district benefit programs. School officials said the district may not have sufficient funds to cover benefits for retirees. Retirees now pay between $250 and $400 in premiums for benefits.
Key proposals from the district:
* Paying teachers on the last regular business day of the month, rather than on the last day the teachers work during the month.
* Restricting or eliminating the use of an arbitrator, who would review job evaluations of teachers in grievance proceedings.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, Wed., December 6, 1995.
©1995 Metro Publishing Inc. All rights reserved.