The Manhattan Beach Unified School District declared impasse on Friday after failing to reach an agreement with the Manhattan Beach Unified Teachers Association regarding teacher salaries.
The teachers union asked for a nine percent salary increase for the next academic year, or a 10 percent increase over three years. The district’s final offer included a one-time, two-and-a-half-percent increase, and an on-going half-percent increase associated with a mandatory staff development day, said Superintendent Mike Matthews on Tuesday.
“We’re going to look very carefully at this election in November,” Matthews said. “If it turns out the (tax initiative) passes and our funding is not damaged, we’ll look very seriously at making that an ongoing raise.”
According to the union, the two-and-a-half-percent, one-time bonus for the next academic year was offered in conjunction with a less-expensive healthcare plan.
“We want it on the schedule so it happens year after year,” said Adam Geczi, Mira Costa teacher and chair of the Manhattan Beach Unified Teachers Association bargaining team. “Why would I give up something that is going to reduce my paycheck on an ongoing basis so I could get a bonus one time? Year three, you’re already at a loss.”
The fundamental disagreement – discussed over thirty hours, or seven sessions of labor negotiations – is on how much money the district has in its general fund that can go toward compensation, which is currently budgeted at $26.8 million for the next academic year. The union believes there’s money in the general fund to increase compensation, but the district said funds are tight.
The district believes increasing teacher compensation would be fiscally irresponsible. “Anyone following the news of our state’s dire fiscal situation would understand that offering an ongoing nine to 10 percent salary increase prior to the November election is simply irresponsible,” said Deputy Superintendent Rick Bagley, in a statement.
But the union argued that Bagley’s own three-year contract – in which his salary started at $158,000 – includes a three-step, three-percent salary increase, in addition to an automatic cost of living adjustment (COLA) salary increase.
Teachers haven’t received a salary increase since 2007, said MBUTA President Karl Kurz. Teacher compensation is built on 15 steps, or years of experience, and columns based on higher education.
“What we’re really asking for is the same exact thing that (Bagley’s) contract includes,” Geczi said.
Geczi noted other major expenditures the district has supported in recent years. “Is it prudent for a district that…is deficit-spending to spend millions of dollars on iPads and associated wireless infrastructure and additional spending on books and supplies?” Geczi said.
The district argues that technology programs are largely funded by the district’s Title II allocation, a Chevron grant, and PTA support. “Despite the grim fiscal picture throughout the state, this Board and our community are committed to making forward progress in all areas, especially employee compensation, but also including improving instruction for students and maintaining our facilities for students,” said Superintendent Mike Matthews, in a statement.
The union refuses to jointly file impasse. “I said, ‘We’re not ready for impasse because we want to give you another proposal – a proposal with contingencies,” Geczi said. “They replied that there’s no point in doing that because we’re too far apart and we’ll never agree.”
The union was fighting for a contract that would include a raise and was open to drafting a contingency clause scaling back compensation depending on the outcome of the November ballot. “They’re not interested because if things don’t happen, then contingencies are not activated, then consequently, now they have to pay us,” Geczi said.
Matthews said the state budget is too uncertain to make ongoing commitments. “We are reticent to make any ongoing commitments until we see what the 2012-13 budget is,” he said.
If November tax initiatives fail, the district expects to lose $440 out of $5,244 per student, or $2.8 million total, each year, Bagley said.
The union claims the district over-budgets expenditures, hiding excess funds that could be used toward teacher compensation. “It’s arbitrary,” Geczi said. “You can arbitrarily increase spending assumptions and then you can arbitrarily decrease income assumptions in the budget.”
“We believe the funds in there are appropriately placed and certainly in-line with the auditing principals of the County,” Matthews argued.
During the next few weeks, a mediator from the Public Employment Relations Board will work with the district and the union to determine if impasse conditions exist. If impasse conditions don’t exist, the two parties will be sent back to the negotiating table. If they do, a mediator will work with both sides to reach an agreement.
“I believe this can be a very helpful process by which we can hopefully come to an agreement,” Matthews said.
If the two parties can’t reach common ground, a fact-finding panel of experts will make a non-binding recommendation that the district can choose to accept or reject.
If the district imposes a contract that includes their best offer, teachers can choose to accept it and come to work, or reject it, refusing to work under the contract.
If the district does not impose a contract, the teachers can strike. Last year’s contract would roll over, and the two parties would continue to negotiate.
