Infighting among Sacramento City Teachers Association membership over a challenged internal election is overshadowing a pivotal week in negotiations between the teachers union and school district.
Sacramento City Unified School District lawyers will announce an impasse Thursday if an accord is not reached with its teachers union. Meanwhile, SCTA executive director and lead negotiator Manuel Villarreal is out of the country on vacation.
"In this crucial time right now, Manny (Villarreal) is gone for a month," said Jerry Kushner, a union representative for Hiram Johnson High School. "People are upset about that. There is no confidence in the union at all."
A call to Villarreal's cell phone was picked up by a European voice mail service. SCTA President Linda Tuttle confirmed Villarreal is on vacation. She said she didn't know where he is or when he will return.
Sacramento City Unified lawyer Lou Lozano said he will speak with Villarreal on the phone Thursday and that he is hopeful the union will offer concessions to help the district close a $30 million budget gap.
Sacramento City Unified sent out more than 700 pink slips in March and has rescinded around 400 so far, said district spokesman Gabe Ross. The district has until Saturday to determine final layoff notices for about 300 certificated employees, mostly teachers.
Lozano said the district is asking for $4 million to $5 million in concessions from SCTA in order to rescind
Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2010/05/12/1163285/city-teachers-union-rift-over.html#ixzz0niWagSrm
