District's Offer to Teachers: 10 Percent Cut, But Here's Some Options

The Capistrano Unified Education Association responded strongly to Capistrano Unified School District's unilateral declaration of a negotiation impasse -- after one meeting -- by firing off a letter to the state saying the move was premature and unnecessary at this point.

A copy of the district's offer has also become available, and it shows the district wants teachers to take a 10 percent pay cut. The offer is crudely written, but offers different options for achieving the salary cut: An across-the-board cut, freezing step/column increases, changes in the health benefits and other options.

Click here to see the district's offer, which cites the state's "unprecedented fiscal crisis."

But the union, the Capistrano Unified Education Association, also acknowledges the budget trouble. says it would be "irresponsible" to address the financial issues until the state budget is approved. (The reasoning, I hear, is that it doesn't make sense to agree to a salary cut without knowing if the state is coming in with more money -- as it has again and again in the past.)

The union's proposal talks about working conditions. In negotiations, if you can't deal with money, you deal with working conditions and non-monetary benefits.

Here's the union's proposal.

Finally, the union filed a formal objection to the district's call to bring in a state mediator. It's just too soon, the union says, and accuses the district of not negotiating in good faith.

Here's that letter.

Just a thought or two: Anyone who has watched the district over a period time knows this process now can take years, so it's going to take a cooperative spirit -- not seen yet -- to reach an accord that helps with current budget challenges. Further, putting the cut on the administrators, $1.8 million on top of the five furlough days members already offered, seems to increase tensions among employees.

Stay tuned.

Comments

[goin for broke]

I just finished reading all of today's posts elsewhere on this website, and while many of you are clearly folks of good intentions with a right to your own opinions and ideas (even if I might disagree with your approaches), others remind me of former Little League or AYSO parents who have sat on the sidelines or coached a little bit at some point, and so now they think they are qualified to criticize the professionals who have actually been doing the work for years. Amazing. Many think they are experts just because their kids attend school. How about listening to the REASONABLE people (NOT the extremists) on this blog who are balanced and fair and seem to have a clue. With absolutely no arrogance intended, I think I am one of these people. Here are some things to consider/correct:

1. No high school operates at a ratio of 31.5 to 1 students per classroom and I have no idea where some of you got this idea. The AVERAGE ratio for high school is officially listed as 34.5, and since a high school schedule can never be balanced completely in the same way that an elementary one can due to the complexity of periods, preps, the multitude of necessary course offerings, etc., the truth is that a few classes will have kids in the high twenties, while MANY others will have 38, 39, 40 and 41. And, these large classes will still have special education, ELL, and students with short attention spans, so I do not think we can have 20:1 in elementary while we continue to allow high school class sizes to remain this high. Where is the outrage for the poor "average high school kid" trying to learn biology, chemistry, algebra, statistics, or whatever with 38, 39, 40 kids in a classroom? Hey, maybe high school kids don't seem as cute and sweet as those first graders (they really are though!!), but they are struggling with tough curriculum and teachers who have nearly 200 students each on their teaching loads, so it's hard to give each poor kid the attention he/she deserves. Why is no one talking about this travesty??

2. In terms of pay cuts, the supposed percentage pay cut across the board that could have solved the budget crisis was 2% for everyone, or better still, an AVERAGE of 2% overall by perhaps having admin take a 3% cut, teachers 2%, and classified 1.5%. Now fellow teachers please.......are some of you actually telling me that you are not willing to take a 2% pay cut to get out of this mess with your limbs intact? A teacher making 70K per year would take a $1,400 per year pay cut, which would be $140 per month on a 10 month payout before taxes. Can we not all trim our expenses by 2% to keep more teachers in the classroom until we get over this state-driven mess? And please.....stop with the talk that this is socialism. Ridiculous. I worked for Fortune 500 companies who did this in the late 80's and early 90's when things became tight, and believe me there was not a socialist within 2,000 miles of these companies. It's called logic and compassion and LONG TERM self-interest, as opposed to short-sighted self-preservation.

3. If the administrators were to follow the union's logic that some of you are espousing here today, then I guess they would demand that even more of their less-senior colleagues be laid off so that they could keep their current rates of pay. I doubt that many high school administrators would want to lose YET ANOTHER assistant principal just to save themselves from a modest pay cut, and hopefully, teachers would be outraged if administrators were to even suggest such a thing. But now, after yesterday's solution, many administrators will be effectively losing 15% by taking 10 furlough days, a 5% additional salary cut, and no step and column for those who are eligible. Talk about losing your limbs!! Medic!!!

4. Some of you who continue to categorically vilify either older or younger teachers are short-sighted and at times downright mean spirited. I have taught with older teachers who are and always will be among the very best until the day they die or retire, period. And, similarly, I have taught with younger teachers who are clearly among the best and brightest, and hopefully they will continue on that path long after tenure sets in. Similarly, bad is bad, no matter how old or young, so this should not be an old vs. young conversation relative to the quality of teachers. Hopefully you can all avoid some of the negative sides of collectivist thinking that has been expressed here and stop beating each other up and name calling; instead, look for a solution that will work for both groups. I for one will HAPPILY take a modest pay cut at this particular time to keep all of my colleagues working for the overall good of kids and our profession. Stop all the whining about the district, Fleming, this board, that board, blah, blah, blah. This is a horrible economic time for our state and country, not just our district, and like it or not, this board is here now. If this current situation were the total fault of our district, then I could see stonewalling negotiations, but that is not the case, so stop rehashing the Taj Mahal district office, San Juan Hills High School, and every other past CUSD scandal. Those issues, no matter how painful and legitimate, are DONE. The situation is what it is and we can't be stubborn at a time like this.

5. And finally, let me say that I would hate to be stuck in the Alps with no food with some of you as my travel companions. I am afraid that you would all vote to kill one of us to keep your own life untouched rather than being willing to share the load and hurt just a litte yourself. And again, no, I am not a socialist, a raging liberal, or anything of the sort, so stop typing your vitriolic response and save yourself from carpal tunnel syndrome. I just believe in running the district the way I run my household, and I would just like to avoid the sytematic dismanteling of one of the best groups of educational professionals in California. If we allow our district to be pruned of talent when it is avoidable, it will NOT be temporary; it will take years to recover. It's "pay me now or pay me later" folks. Be reasonable and demand that our representatives be reasonable in negotiations. The job you save may be your own.

[another capo teacher]

Jonathan, Thanks for all your posts and updates. I do have to correct you though. The district offer is for 10% cut AND step and column freeze AND five furlough days AND health benefits cuts. Not 10% total. I don't know any teacher who can live with so many cuts that equals far more than ten percent.

[Once we choose the pay cut path, it's a long hard road to disaster]

another capo teacher,

The district's proposal calls them all "options.' It is unclear that they wanted us to respond in any positive way, however, since the "across the board reduction" option specifies 10%. If they really wanted to respect teachers, it would have asked us to consider the option of an across the board reduction -- not a specific percentage that would make us balk at all the other options listed. Maybe they learned after Wednesday that if you ask employees to help you achieve a certain dollar amount, they can figure out a way. It you specify that whatever cuts happen, they have to be deep, you've alienated your work force at the get-go.

[bookmom]

Tell me, if the teachers union DID take a pay cut (in September, when the membership could be reached to vote) would that save all the RiF'd teachers' jobs? CSR is not saved, except for in a modified form for 1st grade. Taking a pay cut would only contribute to cutting the deficit that the district faces NEXT year. This divisiveness between old and new teachers, elementary and secondary teachers, parents and teachers, etc. serves no one.

[a thought]

goin for broke,
Thoughtful, and well said....and right on!

[finally]

goin for broke,
As a fellow CUSD teacher, thank you for your words of wisdom. I teach middle school and would LOVE to see a classroom at 31.5. The average classroom I see is 35 students, so thank you for explaining that to everyone.

As for a small pay cut, I would not be opposed. It's when the board throws out 10%, 5 furlough, plus health benefits, etc. When I started looking on what that meant, I, personally, was flabbergasted to learn that would mean at minimum a $10,000 pay cut.

I think there needs to be some compromise from all sides. No one is going to win here. It's about having the smallest impact.

[Capo Teacher and Parent]

goin for broke.. VERY well said!!!!!! I agree 100%. I think it is an absolute disgrace how teachers are throwing each other under the bus to save their own skin. I also think that the 10% pay cut number that the district keeps throwing out is absurd. Why can’t all involved be a little less selfish, quit the mud slinging, and work toward a compromise that helps save jobs and education. Is that really so much to ask.

[Tax Payer]

I have a question...in the high schools, the guidance counselors were already in SHORT supply...now each high school is down to 2????? And there is no college resource center anymore???

[Reality check]

More cuts are coming in 09-10, so teachers will be negotiating to close that gap, not bring back 20:1.

[public school supporter]

goin for broke. Superbly written. I hope you and other teachers who share your thoughts will work with CUEA in the hopes of bringing all the teachers together. Several times I have posted how awful it is to see teachers attack each other. It is nonproductive and causes the public to loose respect for and trust in our teachers. Whether or not there is a shared reduction in pay is not really the issue here. I believe it is your open and forthright attitude to find an area of consensus and problem solving.