VENTURA : Teachers Reject Contract Settlement
Ventura teachers have rejected a tentative contract settlement, primarily because they don’t want to pay for retired teachers’ medical benefits, union officials said Tuesday.
John Gennaro, a spokesman for the Ventura Unified Educators Assn., said a straw poll of the Ventura Unified School District’s more than 600 teachers last week showed that about 75% opposed a tentative three-year contract worked out early this month by the district and union.
The settlement called for the district to stop paying for the benefits, which last year cost $885,000, said Richard Averett, the district’s negotiator.
Under the tentative agreement, the cost of medical, dental and vision benefits for teachers over age 65 would have come from funds now used to pay teachers’ salaries, benefits and unemployment insurance, Gennaro said. The money for the retirees’ benefits would have come from the teachers’ 58% share of general fund revenues of about $25 million, he said.
School district and union officials said negotiations will resume later this month. The previous contract expired June 30.
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