Mission Viejo : Teachers’ Team OKs Contract Settlement

Teachers in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District tentatively accepted a two-year contract settlement this week, ending a yearlong stalemate that reached a peak recently with student walkouts at three schools.

Under the tentative contract approved by a teachers’ association negotiating team Sunday, the district’s 1,200 teachers and counselors would accept a salary freeze but would not face layoffs or benefit reductions. The contract, retroactive to July 1, 1991, would extend to June 30, 1993.

The teachers, who had initially sought a 5% pay increase, will take a final vote on the contract on June 11.

“Since the state financial situation is so grim, we thought it was reasonable to maintain our benefits and our present salary until there is opportunity for raises in the subsequent year,” said Bonnie Chadd, president of the 1,100-member Saddleback Valley Educators Assn.

The deteriorating state education budget played a major role in postponing the contract agreement with the district, Chadd said.

“I think they were very hesitant to commit to anything,” she said. “We finally just ran out of time and people were getting frustrated.”

At the peak of the contract stalemate in recent weeks, several hundred students from Trabuco Hills High School, El Toro High School and Los Alisos Intermediate School walked out of class in support of their teachers. In April, district trustees received more than 2,000 letters from teachers expressing displeasure over the stalled talks.

School board officials said they were pleased with the tentative settlement.

“We feel this is a fair contract considering the current budgetary climate for the state, as well as the district,” said Board of Trustees President Raghu P. Mathur. “Of course, it doesn’t give the teachers what they deserve.”

The tentative agreement comes as the district attempts to cope with a shortfall that has unexpectedly grown from $3.2 million to about $8 million.

On Tuesday, the trustees are scheduled to take final action on a proposed list of $2.3 million in budget cuts and a busing fee increase to help balance next year’s $109-million budget. Another $5.6 million may come from an $8.1-million reserve.