Teachers union in O.C. to begin striking
Negotiations with the Capistrano Unified district over reducing pay and benefits have hit an impasse. Both sides offered to talk again Thursday even as teachers head out to the picket lines.
Teachers in Orange County's second-largest school district are set to begin striking Thursday, after negotiations over pay and benefits with the Capistrano Unified School District collapsed.
Representatives from both sides offered to meet Thursday to try to break the deadlock, even as teachers begin walking picket lines.
The action by 2,200 teachers in Capistrano Unified threatens to disrupt classes, sports and other activities as administrators move to find substitute teachers and make contingency plans to keep schools open.
The district said on its website Wednesday that elementary and middle schools would maintain a regular schedule but high schools would dismiss at 1:35 p.m. After-school activities and athletic practices are canceled for the duration of the strike, and Thursday and Friday games will be rescheduled. Bus transportation to schools for most students is canceled.
The long-simmering dispute has become increasingly contentious as both sides have traded accusations of bad faith. Its origins, though, are in California's budget crisis, which has led nearly every school district in the state to make deep cuts and potentially lay off thousands of teachers.
Capistrano Unified, with 56 schools and 51,000 students, is facing a $34-million budget shortfall for the 2010-2011 school year. In March, while labor discussions were still ongoing, the district imposed a 10% pay cut and other benefit reductions on teachers.
The Capistrano Unified Education Assn., which represents teachers, wants the district to make the pay cuts temporary and to restore salaries, unpaid work days and other benefits if "unforeseen funds" are received.