School board votes to cut pay of Palmdale teachers, staff
Calvin Robinson
Palmdale Elementary Teachers Association members rally outside a July 16, 2013, school board meeting.
The Palmdale School District Board of Trustees voted Tuesday night to implement proposed salary cuts and furlough days for its employees.
The 4-1 vote immediately institutes a 3.8 percent salary cut, up to nine furlough days and a hard cap on employee health benefits. The cuts would go up by an additional 8.4 percent next year.
"Obviously this is going to have a dramatic impact on our membership – many who will be losing their homes, defaulting on loans," said Hugo Estrada, president of thePalmdale Elementary Teachers Association. "It’s going to be a very hard time for our membership."
Estrada said that the cuts add up to about $1,000 each month for district employees.
“Can you imagine what our members are going through right now, thinking about