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Published on 08/26/1996 All articles from this issue

FUHSD and teachers union at odds over contract

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By Kristina Allen / Town Crier Staff Writer

The Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) board of trustees initiated impasse mutually with the Fremont Education Association (FEA) on contract negotiations at a special meeting on Aug. 21.

The FEA and the school district have been negotiating the terms for a new teacher's contract since February 1996. Both sides said that bringing in a mediator from the Public Employee Relations Board may bring them closer in negotiations. The mediator will be chosen from a small list of candidates by both sides.

"The mediator will be selected and asks us (the FEA) what we want and then goes to the district to see what can be offered," said FEA President George Gredasoff. "If no resolution comes from this step, it moves to the next step called fact-finding."

A neutral person is selected along with two other representatives from both the district and the FEA to form a panel in the fact-finding process. The panel examines the facts and determines who has the best facts. Neither side needs to agree with the panel, but if that happens the teachers would take the next step and go on strike.

"This all boils down to the cost of insurance and a way of controlling their revenue," Gredasoff said. "They want to cap insurance payments at $6,000 for medical. The district has negotiated with insurance carriers to keep costs down before, but if the costs do go up and there is a cap, the teachers will be paying out of their own pockets."

The teachers currently have a choice of Blue Cross or Kaiser as their insurance carriers.

According to the district board, the major factors influencing them to initiate impasse are salary schedules, having the teachers sign a multi-year contract as opposed to a one-year contract and the FEA's rejection of proposed improvements to educational opportunities for students in regular and summer schools. Some improvements include student surveys and scheduling classes around student needs.

"On May 30, the FEA asked for an 8.6 percent across-the board-salary increase, now they want 12.3 percent," said Bebe Sellers, FUHSD associate superintendent of employee relations.

"I think that we will be going to the fact-finding board, it won't be resolved with the mediator," Gredasoff said. "There will be an impact at the high school campuses. I wouldn't miss the first day of school for the world."

The teachers' current contract will roll over until a settlement is reached.More than 150 students from Los Altos attend Homestead High School in Cupertino, which is part of the FUHSD. The first day of instruction is Sept. 3.