Fullerton Teachers, District Locked in Wage Talks
Fullerton Union High School District officials and members of the Fullerton Secondary Teachers Assn. were preparing for a long night Friday with a state-appointed mediator as they tried to settle wage negotiations and avert a strike.
“We’re certainly willing to go all night if necessary if we think we can settle it tonight,” Deputy Supt. Ken Jones said Friday evening.
Money is at the heart of the dispute, which caused the union to declare an impasse Sept. 16, Supt. Robert Martin said. As of Friday evening, the district had offered the teachers a 10.6% compensation package while the union demanded a 15.54%-plus package, he added. Other issues at dispute in the contract, which expired June 30, include class size, benefits for retirees and binding arbitration, Martin said.
“Our teachers are the highest paid in the county and the second highest paid in the state. We’re proud of that and we’re going to try to keep those high expectations,” he added.
Martin said he had heard rumblings that there would be a one-day strike against the district. Officials from the teachers association could not be reached for comment.
The average teacher in the district is considered one with seven to eight years of experience and a salary of about $35,000 a year, Martin said.
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