Teacher's union opposes raise freeze
Author: Neil Nisperos , Staff Writer
CHINO - The Associated Chino Teachers union has opposed a Chino Valley Unified raise freeze proposal that would address a district budget deficit.
The focal point of the union's concerns is a lack of confidence in the district's budget projections.
Union officials argue that actual budget balances in recent years have not matched three-year district balance projections. As a result, the district's proposal of a raise freeze - which would save an estimated $5 million in three years - might not match the actual balance in the future.
The plan aims to freeze step and column raises for teachers. Step and column is based on career longevity with the district as well as the acquiring of advanced degrees.
"In our calculations, a second-year Chino Valley teacher under the district's proposal would lose $72,000 in career earnings," said Jim Schlotz, negotiation specialist for the union. "We cannot go and ask somebody to make that kind of sacrifice when we're not convinced that the district's projections are accurate."
Board member Michael Calta agreed that projections do not always correspond to actual balances, but not because of poor accounting. He said the district is just being conservative.
"We also have to face the very real possibility of our state cutting our budget again at the end of the year because the state budget continues to widen and tax revenue continues to fall," Calta said. "We don't know yet. We may face another cut from the state, which would make the deficit even greater."
Justine Cunningham, president of the teacher's union, offered an alternative cost-saving measure of early retirement incentives at a recent board meeting, calling attention to a program the Pomona Unified School District has been offering teachers in order to save money.
"Their district estimates that if 80 employees take the offer the district could save about $22 million over a five-year period and about $4.5 million the first year," Cunnigham said. "The retirement agency that they are working with, the Public Agency Retirement Services, or PARS, is well respected throughout California and is also an affiliate of California School Boards Association."
Chino Valley Unified is considering the measure, Cunningham said.
The district expects to save $5.2 million by implementing a freeze on pay increases awarded to union members for earning supplementary degrees and through longevity.
Teachers and classified workers have to agree to the freeze before a second San Bernardino County interim budget deadline on March 15.
District administrators do not have a bargaining unit to negotiate pay cuts with the board and would have no bargaining ability on a freeze if the teachers' and classified workers' unions agree to it.
If union members don't approve the freeze, cost-saving measures that were debated in the summer - including the elimination of school bussing - could again be considered, Calta said.
neil.nisperos@inlandnewspapers.com
(909) 483-9356
The focal point of the union's concerns is a lack of confidence in the district's budget projections.
Union officials argue that actual budget balances in recent years have not matched three-year district balance projections. As a result, the district's proposal of a raise freeze - which would save an estimated $5 million in three years - might not match the actual balance in the future.
The plan aims to freeze step and column raises for teachers. Step and column is based on career longevity with the district as well as the acquiring of advanced degrees.
"In our calculations, a second-year Chino Valley teacher under the district's proposal would lose $72,000 in career earnings," said Jim Schlotz, negotiation specialist for the union. "We cannot go and ask somebody to make that kind of sacrifice when we're not convinced that the district's projections are accurate."
Board member Michael Calta agreed that projections do not always correspond to actual balances, but not because of poor accounting. He said the district is just being conservative.
"We also have to face the very real possibility of our state cutting our budget again at the end of the year because the state budget continues to widen and tax revenue continues to fall," Calta said. "We don't know yet. We may face another cut from the state, which would make the deficit even greater."
Justine Cunningham, president of the teacher's union, offered an alternative cost-saving measure of early retirement incentives at a recent board meeting, calling attention to a program the Pomona Unified School District has been offering teachers in order to save money.
"Their district estimates that if 80 employees take the offer the district could save about $22 million over a five-year period and about $4.5 million the first year," Cunnigham said. "The retirement agency that they are working with, the Public Agency Retirement Services, or PARS, is well respected throughout California and is also an affiliate of California School Boards Association."
Chino Valley Unified is considering the measure, Cunningham said.
The district expects to save $5.2 million by implementing a freeze on pay increases awarded to union members for earning supplementary degrees and through longevity.
Teachers and classified workers have to agree to the freeze before a second San Bernardino County interim budget deadline on March 15.
District administrators do not have a bargaining unit to negotiate pay cuts with the board and would have no bargaining ability on a freeze if the teachers' and classified workers' unions agree to it.
If union members don't approve the freeze, cost-saving measures that were debated in the summer - including the elimination of school bussing - could again be considered, Calta said.
neil.nisperos@inlandnewspapers.com
(909) 483-9356
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