MISSION VIEJO : 100 Teachers Protest Stall in Wage Talks

More than 100 teachers crowded into this week’s Board of Education meeting for the Saddleback Valley Unified School District to complain bitterly about stalled talks that have left them without a contract.

Teachers seek a 3% pay increase for the 1991 and 1992 school years, while district officials want to maintain the current wage and benefit package, which includes some built-in increases.

Several teachers at Tuesday’s emotional meeting spoke of their frustrations and complained that they are not appreciated by the district.

“A lot of people ask me why I’m a teacher,” said Steve Robitaille, 35, who teaches math at Trabuco Hills High School. “I’m not as happy as I was when I first became a teacher because I don’t feel the support. I drive an ’84 Camaro, while my students drive Mercedes.”

Trabuco Hills High teacher David Price, 26, told trustees that he was sending resumes to other districts because of the pay issue. He said he chose to teach at a Saddleback school because he is a product of the district.

“I’m a workaholic,” said Price, who teaches math and coaches football, basketball and volleyball. “I’m loyal to this school district, but I don’t know why I’m so loyal to a district that isn’t loyal to me. I’m starting to ask myself why I want to work for the least competitive school district in Orange County.”

Last week, trustees received more than 2,000 letters from teachers expressing displeasure over the stalled talks.

“It was an attempt to give them a personal outlet,” said Bonnie Chadd, president of the teachers union. “I knew our school board members would read the letters. We’re not asking for anything outlandish.”

Board member Dore J. Gilbert said the situation has been tough for the panel but blamed inadequate state funding for the district’s dilemma.

“We spend a lot of our waking hours thinking about this,” Gilbert said. “It breaks my heart to see (teachers) here talking about their difficulties, because as an individual I can’t change that.”

Supt. Peter A. Hartman said: “I know that employees feel like they’re being held hostage because of this fiscal uncertainty. I feel we have no choice if we are going to be fiscally prudent.

“We have to base our decisions (on) keeping a clear view of some of the worst-case scenarios. If you hope for the best and don’t plan for the worst, you can end up with some severe financial problems.”

Hartman said that while the district is not offering a raise at the bargaining table, about 50% of the district’s teachers will be getting increases that are built in to their present contract.

He said the built-in increases, which include a benefits package, will cost the district $1.8 million more this year than last.

“That is a pure expense that we didn’t get more money from the state to cover,” he said. “We are doing our best to at least maintain the current salary schedules and employee benefit programs, which have a built-in cost.”

District officials are scheduled to meet with the teachers union for further talks this week.