GILROY
– The Gilroy Teachers Association has declared an impasse over
lingering contract negotiations with the school district, paving
the way for a potentially long summer battle that could lead to a
strike.
GILROY – The Gilroy Teachers Association has declared an impasse over lingering contract negotiations with the school district, paving the way for a potentially long summer battle that could lead to a strike.
At issue is a zero percent salary increase the GTA calls unacceptable and the district’s plan to make teachers pay for rising health insurance costs out of pocket, something teacher representatives say amounts to a pay cut. This is the third impasse between teachers and the district in the last decade.
“We know this is not a good time to be asking for a salary increase,” GTA President Michelle Nelson said, referring to the state’s budget crunch that has significantly impacted education funding. “But we’re kind of tired of hearing ‘We’re gonna get there’ (at the county average for teacher salaries). There’s a road map for staff development in the district, but there’s no road map to get salaries at levels comparable to other districts.”
Depending on years of experience and teacher education levels, Gilroy teachers make between 9.5 and 15 percent less than their counterparts within a 30-minute driving distance of Gilroy, the GTA says.
Making Gilroy salaries comparable to salaries from districts over a 30-minute commuting radius is a standard the district and its teachers recently agreed on. The previous goal was to pay Gilroy teachers the average salary among the 32 districts in Santa Clara County. The plan was dropped because teachers and the district found it unrealistic to keep up with rich districts like Los Gatos or Palo Alto.
The current impasse triggers a mediation process that will be negotiated by a representative from the state. If the state mediator cannot successfully bring the two sides to reach an agreement, the impasse will enter a so-called fact-finding phase.
During fact-finding, the state will access Gilroy Unified School District financial records to determine its ability to pay. Teachers are asking for a 7 percent increase to their 2002-03 paychecks, a cost the district says is unaffordable and something district leadership believes should have been put on the table sooner.
“We’ve had a series of meetings, we’ve held public (budget discussion) sessions – after all that, the teachers ask for a 7 percent increase,” Superintendent Edwin Diaz said.
Despite the proposed zero percent raise, teachers will receive the normal increase in pay that is based on years of experience and level of education.
As for health benefits, Diaz said it was “upsetting” that teachers are pressing the issue now. In August, the district agreed to pick up the increase in health insurance costs, amounting to a 2.5 percent pay increase. At the time, the district and the teachers agreed to hold off on a new health benefits agreement until the salary issue for 2002-03 was resolved, Diaz said.
Underneath the stalemate with the district lies a lack of trust by teachers in the district’s financial reporting. Nelson said in 1998-99 Gilroy Unified School District had 10 percent over and above what it needed in its rainy day funds.
“We never saw that,” Nelson said. “They have had plenty of money in the past and we still believe that there is money out there.”
Diaz called the book-cooking claims unfounded. He said often times there is money set aside in reserves that are restricted funds from the state or federal government. The law requires the school district to spend these funds on designated purposes such as library book purchases or special programs.
“There’s only ‘X’ amount of money out there and I don’t want to lose the perspective that we just made $2.8 million in reductions.” Diaz said. “The district needs to balance its budget. Anything beyond the balance will be available for salary increases.”
GUSD trustees meet Wednesday at 7 p.m. to finalize the 2003-04 budget. Although the salary stalemate involves the current year’s budget, Diaz said budget discussions tonight will be impacted.
“We have to balance our budget for this year and two years out. If we have to go back a year to pay on a salary increase, numbers will change,” Diaz said.
A mediator has yet to be assigned to the Gilroy case, but Nelson believes the arbitration will take place over summer. Nelson is not threatening the district with a strike, but a teachers association memo instructs teachers to “carefully consider” whether to take additional staff development during the summer.
“The high number of teachers participating in staff development last summer only strengthened the district’s position that teachers are willing to work overtime for less money and made this year’s negotiation sessions that much more difficult,” the memo states. “For this summer, and until further notice, we are asking you to place yourself and your family first.”
