NEWPORT BEACH : District and Teachers Halt Contract Talks

Officials of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and its teachers union have jointly declared an impasse in contract talks.

The two sides are discussing outstanding issues in the teachers’ three-year contract, which expires in June, 1993. District officials want to discuss salary rates, but the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers maintains that salaries are set for the length of the agreement and not open to negotiation.

“We certainly do have that right, and we are going to exercise that right,” said Assistant Supt. Thomas A. Godely about reopening the pay rate issue.

Union President Maya Decker said she was disappointed that the two sides could not come to an agreement. “Impasse is always an admission of failure,” she said.

Disagreements over other outstanding issues, such as personal holidays, class sizes and the amount of time allotted to teachers for parent conferences and consultations, also led the two sides to cut off talks.