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Thursday, March 18, 2010

Impasse on negotiations with teachers, unions Elk Grove Citizen : News

Elk Grove Citizen : News

Impasse on negotiations with teachers, unions


Getting an arbitrator no easy task

By Roy Herburger - Herburger Publications, Inc.
Published: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 9:25 AM PDT
Last week, in an open letter to all the Elk Grove Unified School District (EGUSD) employees, Superintendent Dr. Steven Ladd outlined the deadlock and status of negotiations between the school district and the Elk Grove Education Association (EGEA).

He declared the negotiations were at an impasse and would seek the appointment of a state mediator to “help both parties clarify their mutual interests and identify areas of agreement.”

However, the California Public Employment Relations Board is buried in impasse applications that are including state employees, school districts, and other government and public agencies.

It was reliably reported, however, that the district and the school district unions are still negotiating.


A portion of the negotiations is two furlough days in this the 2009-10 school year that would bring in $2.5 million.

The major sticking point in the new negotiations between the district and the EGEA and other staff members is the addition of changes in the health and welfare benefit package.

The district outlined, “in lieu of freezing step movement on the salary schedule for the 2010-11 school year that all parties agree eligible members will contribute $112 per month toward the employee health and benefits programs.”

The district maximum contributions toward Health and Welfare benefits each year would be $4,848 for single benefactor, $9,697 for two-party and $13,721 for a famil