FULLERTON : Mediator to Assist in Contract Talks

In the hopes of breaking stalled contract negotiations between elementary school teachers and the Fullerton School District, the president of the teachers’ union said a mediator will be used when talks resume in December.

While most issues have been resolved since contract negotiations started last May, the district and teachers still disagree about salaries and medical benefits, said Marge Trares, president of the Fullerton Elementary Teachers Assn.

District Supt. Duncan Johnson said the decision to bring in a mediator was made after an impasse was reached Thursday. “The use of a mediator was a mutual decision,” said Johnson, who refused to discuss specifics about the negotiations. “Except for a few issues, contract talks have been very productive. I’m hoping the mediator will help get things going.”

Trares said the union is asking that teachers’ salaries be competitive with other districts in the county. Wages for Fullerton School District teachers range from $22,000 in the first year to $47,000 after 30 years.

“According to a just-released salary survey by the Orange County Department of Education, the beginning salary in the Fullerton District is dead last among elementary districts reporting,” Trares said. “That’s just unacceptable.”

As far as medical benefits, the union is asking that the district provide additional medical coverage to teachers. However, the district contends that any increase in the costs of medical benefits must be deducted from the total compensation package that includes proposed salary increases.

The union represents more than 500 teachers, librarians, counselors, nurses and specialists in the Fullerton School District.