Furloughs Urged to Limit Job Cuts in Torrance Schools

Torrance school officials and two unions representing non-teaching personnel are exploring a furlough program as a way to minimize layoffs of blue- and white-collar workers in the Torrance Unified School District.

The issue arose as the district trimmed nearly $1.5 million from its nearly $80-million budget and eliminated 39 jobs. Meanwhile, contract talks are continuing between three unions and the district.

Public discussion of furloughs--days off without pay--as a cost-saving mechanism came up at Monday’s board meeting, attended by dozens of grim-faced school workers who crowded into the room or watched on a television set in a nearby hallway.

At the end of the meeting, the board authorized a cost-cutting package that included axing the 39 jobs, some through attrition and the rest through layoffs. It also voted not to fill two other jobs and demoted 12 employees. Thirty-day notices to the workers being laid off will be mailed shortly, administrators said.

No teachers were affected by the cuts. Teachers must be notified by March 15 of staff cuts in the coming school year.

The furlough system, which would have to be negotiated between the unions and the district, received some support during and after the meeting, although trustees rejected an effort by board member John Eubanks to have it adopted immediately.

Verna Font, leader of Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union, which represents 291 maintenance, custodial, cafeteria and other workers in the district, said: “I highly recommend that (the furlough concept) be brought to the negotiating table.”

And board member Ann Gallagher said in an interview after the meeting: “It’s something that I would think seriously about.”

However, board President Owen Griffith and district administrators expressed caution, saying furloughs are not a cure-all and could create new problems.

To cut $1,459,500 from the proposed 1990-91 budget, the board also dropped most high school bus transportation and some field trips, reduced the hours of some classroom aides, cut money for conferences, and suspended behind-the-wheel driver training.

It was the second major budget cut in months. In March, the board trimmed $1.5 million, eliminating 20 positions and reining in other spending.

The board approved most of Monday’s cuts by a wide margin, but before the votes were taken, workers went to the podium and urged the board to consider alternatives to layoffs.

“Our aim is to keep our schools a clean and safe place where our children can learn,” said James Pepper, an assistant grounds foreman with the district for 21 years. He said the staff cuts could result in hazards such as broken glass in play areas and sandboxes.

Some board members, in turn, were apologetic.

“I don’t for a moment want to do what I’m proposing to do,” David Sargent said after moving that seven clerical jobs be cut.

Administrators said this week’s budget slashing was made necessary by several factors, including reduced state funding, rising health-benefit costs and a new county fee for tax services.

In a memorandum, Harvey Oelkers, assistant superintendent for business services, warned that Los Angeles County may now charge school districts for the cost of collecting and distributing property taxes--a fee that could cost the Torrance district as much as $440,000 a year.

And Gov. George Deukmejian has set the cost-of-living adjustment for school aid at 3% instead of the 4.76% approved by the Legislature--a $995,000 loss for the Torrance district, Oelkers wrote.

On the furlough concept, it is unclear whether board members and union representatives see eye to eye.

Some workers this week immediately endorsed the idea of furloughs as an alternative to layoffs. And a few said they would forgo a raise if it meant that their co-workers could keep their jobs.

“I’d be willing to give up that raise. I think everyone would,” said Steve Ragsdale, a school maintenance mechanic.

One union officer said that last week, at the bargaining table, his union suggested forgoing a raise and accepting a 10-day furlough--which would in effect be 10 days without pay.

“As far as we’re concerned, it was a viable proposal. They didn’t seem to be interested,” said James W. Durham, first vice president of Chapter 19 of the California School Employees Assn., which represents district clerical and technical workers. He said the district prefers “doing away with jobs.”

As for the raise, Durham said the district’s offer of 1% for clerical and technical workers is unacceptable.

Supt. Edward Richardson declined to comment, saying: “All of that is a matter of negotiations. We haven’t said publicly what we have on the table.”

The district is negotiating with three unions whose contracts expired June 30: Local 99, Chapter 19 and the Torrance Teachers Assn.

TORRANCE SCHOOL BUDGET CUTBACKS The almost $1.46-million in budget cuts made by the Torrance school board this week and the amount saved include:

* Abolishing nine grounds maintenance jobs: $173,000. Mowing will be done every other week; trees will be trimmed once every three years instead of annually.

* Abolishing 15 custodian and master custodian jobs and demoting 12 head custodians: $295,000. Classrooms will be cleaned less frequently.

* Abolishing six maintenance mechanic jobs: $127,500.

* Abolishing seven clerical jobs: $106,500.

* Reducing hours of instructional assistants in kindergarten through third grade from 10 to eight hours: $175,000.

* Canceling some field trips for grades kindergarten through 12: $45,000.

* Eliminating virtually all high-school bus service by offering it only to students living more than 2.25 miles from school: $85,000. The limit is now two miles.

* Cutting instructional supplies budgets by 10%: $85,000.

The board, in a separate action, suspended behind-the-wheel driver training because of funds withheld by the state.