Negotiations continue in Capistrano teacher strike
April 24, 2010 | KPCC Wire Services | KPCC
Negotiations continued today between the Capistrano Unified School District and its teachers, who are on strike because of 10.1 percent pay cuts.
No progress was reported Friday. Officials from the school district were unavailable for comment today.
Bill Guy of the Capistrano Unified Education Association said negotiations continued late this afternoon, but no progress was reported.
About 90 percent of the district's 2,200 teachers went on strike Thursday, picketing all 56 schools.
District officials said less than half the 51,000 students showed up for classes on Thursday, and less than a third on Friday.
The school board imposed pay cuts of 10.1 percent to help balance the district's budget.
The teachers want the district to make the pay cuts temporary and to restore salaries, unpaid workdays and other benefits if "unforeseen funds" are received.
The pay cuts are projected to save the district about $19.9 million, but the district still needs to close a $34 million budget gap. The teachers said they will return to the picket lines on Monday if no resolution is reached over the weekend.
Reduced revenue from the state and poor financial planning left the