ORANGE : School Support Staff Asks 8% Salary Hike

In their opening proposal in 1992-93 contract negotiations, Orange Unified School District classified employees have asked that clerical workers and other support staff receive an 8% salary increase for each of the next three years.

The proposal will be countered with an offer from the district for a one-year contract that recommends salary cuts, not increases, officials said. As with the district’s proposal to the teachers’ union, a plan will be presented to classified employees to roll back salary levels by 4%, freeze all other pay raises and cut health and welfare benefits.

Barbara Noble, president of the clerical union, called the district’s proposal “drastic. We think it’s unfair.”

The 1,200-member branch of the California School Employees Assn. presented its proposal to the district board of trustees last week. The union’s current three-year contract expires Sept. 30.

District officials say the classified workers’ proposal, which includes hikes in mileage and longevity raises and more vacation time in addition to the salary increase, is unrealistic, especially during the state’s fiscal crisis.

The 8% salary increase alone would cost Orange Unified $8 million in the next three years, said Joyce Capelle, district fiscal services director.

District financial officers have warned that Orange Unified may need to squeeze $5 million to $12 million from its $106-million budget next year, depending on cuts made at the state level.

A 4% salary rollback for classified workers could save the district about $904,356 next year, according to district figures. Salary freezes would save about $300,000 and cuts in health and welfare benefits would save another $300,000.

In addition, the district last week approved dropping one part-time and two full-time classified positions for a savings of $94,875. District officials have said salary rollbacks are a way to avoid widespread layoffs.