• The last agreement allowed the district to make two “openers” or to open our contract on two issues.
  • The district has closed its $28M shortfall and submitted a balanced budget, but could still be at risk for negative certification from SCOE.
  • The current state budget is dependent on a state tax measure passing in November. If it does not pass, there could be a $15M cut that would be triggered after the election and hitting around mid-way through the school year.
  • If we had not come to an agreement, the district could “impose” a “solution” and then take us to “fact-finding” with an arbitrator, which would have left us with no other option than to strike. In the current fiscal climate, the arbitration process has not been favorable to teacher unions, and has been finding for districts more and more often.

What does this deal do?

  • It closes the contract with very limited openers for two years.
  • It has two sets of cuts for teacher salary and benefits, the larger of which would only take effect in the event the tax measure in November does not pass.

What are some of the main points?

  • There will be two furlough days (that will be taken on Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week) within a new calendar that was tentatively agreed to contingent on ratification of this agreement. Our pay will be adjusted to reflect fewer working days without affecting service credit for STRS retirement.
  • The $95 monthly contribution being made for CSR will end.  Step and column increases will occur.  Most salary cells will not see a reduction in their paychecks in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years.
  • Co-pays for Kaiser will go to $10 per visit, $10 for prescription medications, and $75 for emergency care; HealthNet will go to $15 for office visits, $75 for emergency room, and the prescription tiers will go to $10, $20, and $35 respectively.
  • No evaluation in the 2012-13 School year for teachers who will be teaching split grade elementary classes.
  • Married couples or domestic partners that are both employed by the District and will have one health plan that covers both employees.
  • The rebate received by members with only single insurance will be eliminated.
  • A salary increase originating from the June 14, 2010 agreement that was due to be applied to the salary schedule next year will be deferred until July 1, 2014.
  • If the initiative fails, there could be up to an additional 10 (ten) furlough days with salary reductions to reflect the loss of those work days.
  • If the initiative fails the district will not be able to pull teachers from classrooms for “trainings” by having a substitute cover the class, but will instead need to schedule it during furlough days.
  • We anticipate the District will use the savings from this agreement to being back as many of our laid off members as possible.
  • A silver-lining is that we can stop the additional furlough days from happening by ensuring the tax measure passes. It is going to be in our interest to work as hard as possible to pass this initiative. If we don’t, and it doesn’t pass, we will feel it in our pocketbooks to the tune of around $3,000 per member.