SAN JOSE - To avoid a possible strike within days, leaders of the union representing 300 Santa Clara County high school teachers are supporting a new, preliminary report by a state arbitrator that recommends a compromise settlement on salary and benefits issues.
For two years, teachers in the 7,200-student Campbell Union High School District have been working without a contract or raises, as class sizes soared and out-of-pocket costs for health benefits rocketed.
The neutral fact-finder's report is non-binding, but teachers want the district to use it as a way to settle negotiations that have dragged on for 30 months, said Rachelle Burnside, co-president of the Campbell Education Association. Union members have already voted overwhelmingly to allow leaders to call a strike at any time.
"We don't want to strike, but we will," said Burnside, a teacher at Branham High School in San Jose. "This report offers a good framework to settle this crisis. If district administrators refuse to meet teachers half-way, then they can meet us out on the picket line."
After hearing from both sides, neutral arbitrator John Wormuth, appointed by the state Public Employment Relations Board, made preliminary recommendations to settle the 2001-2002 contract. Teachers support these and other recommendations in the report:
SALARIES: 2.87 percent salary increase, retroactive to July 1, 2001. Teachers had been seeking a 5.5 percent salary increase. District average teacher salaries are the lowest among the five high school districts in Santa Clara County, when adjusted for out-of-pocket benefits costs.
HEALTH BENEFITS: Noting that "it has been several years since teachers have received any increase in the district's contribution toward benefits," the arbitrator sided with the union's idea of creating a "floating cap" on district contributions that is tied to a formula based on the California Public Employees Retirement System's premium costs. Teachers who faced paying $1,390 this year of their own money for Kaiser family coverage would pay nothing.
CLASS SIZE: No change, but should be addressed in future negotiations. Teachers had sought a cap of 32 students as class sizes soared this year, with over 40 students in many classes.
The Campbell Education Association represents teachers at five high schools in San Jose – Boynton, Branham, Del Mar, Leigh, Westmont – and Prospect High in Saratoga.
The Campbell Education Association is a chapter of CTA, which is affiliated with the 2.7 million-member National Education Association.