Sacramento City teachers disagree over concessions
Published: Monday, Mar. 29, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 1A
Amid pink slips and massive budget cuts, infighting has erupted among Sacramento City Unified School District teachers and their union leaders over whether they should make concessions to save jobs.
At odds, some teachers say, are the younger teachers vs. the hard-line tactics of union leadership that has been in place for decades.
At the same time, Sacramento City Teachers Association leadership is dueling with the district in informal talks over whether to give concessions in light of the district's $30 million budget deficit.
Sacramento City Unified was placed on the state's fiscal early warning list last week, meaning the district is on shaky financial ground.
If an accord can't be reached – and the budget gap isn't closed – the district could receive a negative rating and be placed under the financial control of the Sacramento County Board of Education.
Without concessions, Superintendent Jonathan Raymond said Thursday that class sizes will increase and the district will be unable to rescind many of the hundreds of pink slips sent out two
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/03/29/2639947/sacramento-city-teachers-disagree.html#ixzz0jZ9oBAZW
Teachers unions in the Folsom Cordova, Twin Rivers and San Juan unified school districts made concessions last school year to help save jobs and programs for their districts. The union for Sacramento City Unified School District teachers made no concessions.
• San Juan Unified's seven employee groups, including teachers, restructured their health benefits plan to save $2.6 million this year.
• Twin Rivers Unified's teachers union agreed last year to 3 1/2 furlough days per year for three years, which amounts to a 1.67 percent annual pay cut.
• Folsom Cordova Unified teachers are taking three furlough days this school year for a savings of $1.35 million.
• San Juan Unified's seven employee groups, including teachers, restructured their health benefits plan to save $2.6 million this year.
• Twin Rivers Unified's teachers union agreed last year to 3 1/2 furlough days per year for three years, which amounts to a 1.67 percent annual pay cut.
• Folsom Cordova Unified teachers are taking three furlough days this school year for a savings of $1.35 million.
Sacramento City Unified teachers on average make less money than teachers in the Elk Grove and San Juan unified school districts. But their health benefits compare favorably.
• Sacramento City Unified:
Salary: $60,532
Health benefits: District pays entire cost of single, two-party or family coverage for Kaiser or HealthNet. Co-pays for Kaiser are $5 with a $4 reimbursement or $5 for Health Net.
• Elk Grove Unified:
Salary: $65,348
Health benefits: District pays entire cost of single, two-party or family coverage for Kaiser. Employees can buy HealthNet for $48.18 a month for employee or $136.36 for family coverage. Co-pays are $20.
• San Juan Unified:
Salary: $69,380
Health benefits: District pays the entire cost for employee-only coverage for Kaiser and PacifiCare. For families, employee contribution starts at $256 a month. Co-pays are $20 for PacifiCare and $25 for Kaiser.
• Sacramento City Unified:
Salary: $60,532
Health benefits: District pays entire cost of single, two-party or family coverage for Kaiser or HealthNet. Co-pays for Kaiser are $5 with a $4 reimbursement or $5 for Health Net.
• Elk Grove Unified:
Salary: $65,348
Health benefits: District pays entire cost of single, two-party or family coverage for Kaiser. Employees can buy HealthNet for $48.18 a month for employee or $136.36 for family coverage. Co-pays are $20.
• San Juan Unified:
Salary: $69,380
Health benefits: District pays the entire cost for employee-only coverage for Kaiser and PacifiCare. For families, employee contribution starts at $256 a month. Co-pays are $20 for PacifiCare and $25 for Kaiser.
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/03/29/2639947/sacramento-city-teachers-disagree.html#ixzz0jZA4tGhK