SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Teachers to Vote on New Contract

Teachers in the Capistrano Unified School District are scheduled to vote today on a labor contract that would end 10 months of sometimes bitter negotiations.

The agreement, reached this week, gives the district’s 1,200 teachers a 3% raise, retroactive to last July. The district also agreed to continue paying 100% of the teachers’ health insurance premiums and 90% of their dependents’ premiums, even though the district’s health costs have risen 14%.

The tentative pact is a one-year agreement that expires June 30. It will cost the district, which is trying to cut $4 million from its next budget, $1.7 million, officials said.

“I believe that when all things are considered--the tough times the district is going through with its budget--that it is everything the district could afford,” Supt. Jerome R. Thornsley said.

Under terms of the agreement, a beginning teacher with a bachelor’s degree and a state teaching credential would receive $27,710 a year. A teacher with 24 years of experience, a master’s degree, and additional college courses would earn the maximum salary of $54,114 a year.

“It is the best contract we could get under the conditions, and we are recommending to the members that they ratify it,” said Ric Stephenson, president of the Capistrano Unified Education Assn., the teachers’ union.

The district has a history of troubled negotiations with the union. During 1990, negotiations dragged on for 11 months, with teachers picketing and boycotting open houses at schools.

Throughout this year’s negotiations, Stephenson accused district administrators of “playing games” with the union, accusing them of reneging on contract offers. The district has denied those accusations.

Stephenson places the blame for the strife on Thornsley, who is retiring June 30, and the district’s trustees.

“Over the years, we have had different (teachers’) association presidents, different district negotiators, but we have had the same superintendent and many of the same board members,” Stephenson said. “For some reason, the superintendent and those board members want to continue to have these same charades during negotiations year after year after year. I am looking forward to having a new superintendent and a new negotiating style. Let’s just say I’m not buying Thornsley a going-away present.”

Thornsley said he has always followed the board’s direction, which he called “fiscally sound.”

“We have seen so many districts get in trouble because they have negotiated three-year contracts that call for 8% annual raises,” Thornsley said. “That is money we simply don’t have. And I think it is naive to say that because the superintendent is leaving or some board members might change that the money will start flowing.”