Fountain Valley : Teachers Picket Homes of School Trustees

Fountain Valley Elementary School District teachers, angered by the lack of a contract since last July, began picketing homes of school board members on Wednesday.

Kathy Wright, chief negotiator for the Fountain Valley Education Assn., the teachers’ union, said the teachers are displeased “because the school district’s negotiator is not letting our proposal get to the board members.”

However, Cheryl Norton, director of communications for the school district, responded: “That is not true. The chief negotiator speaks for the board, and the board certainly knows what is in the (teacher) association’s last proposal.”

At issue are terms for a proposed three-year contract, including the current 1985-86 school year. Wright said the teachers “have essentially met what the board asked for a contract.” She said ironing out language in the proposed contract is all that prevents settlement.

Norton, however, said the teachers are asking for some specifics--such as their right to choose a health insurer--that the district refuses to grant.

The last negotiating session between teachers and the district was on March 21, when the district gave what it called its “last, best and final offer.”

“We are trying to get them back to the negotiating table,” Wright said. “I hope they don’t want to push us into some kind of concerted action. We have started picketing board members’ homes, and we’re going to become more and more visible.”