PLACENTIA / YORBA LINDA : Panel Backs Offer for School Workers

A report issued last week by a special fact-finding panel supports the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District’s offer of a two-year contract to its classified employees.

The panel also endorsed the district’s desire to freeze its contribution to the 800 employees’ health and welfare benefits package, and its ability to cut the employees’ pay in the 1994-95 school year.

The employees, who have agreed to freeze salaries for the duration of the contract, are seeking a three-year pact and continued full funding of their health benefits by the district.

A two-year contract would be retroactive to 1992-93 and would cover the current school year as well. A three-year contract would last through 1994-95.

The fact-finding panel met on Aug. 19, the last step in yearlong negotiations between the district and the California School Employees Assn., which represents 800 secretaries, clerical workers, bus drivers and maintenance workers.

Last March, the district declared an impasse in the talks, prompting a mediation session that was held May 5. But the two sides were still unable to reach an agreement.

State law requires such disputes to be heard next by a fact-finding panel, which determines the merits of each side’s position on the disputed issues.

The three-member panel considered seven contract issues on which the two sides have been unable to reach agreement since a previous contract expired in August, 1992. The fact-finding panel consisted of representatives from the employees union and the district, and an arbitrator appointed by the state Public Employment Relations Board.

The panel supported the district’s position on the length of the contract; the number of days allowed for bereavement leave; a promotions schedule and related pay; the health and welfare benefits and a possible future pay cut.

The panel backed the employees’ association demand for a guaranteed six hours of daily pay to bus drivers and increased mileage reimbursements for all classified employees.

The report is not binding on either side. The district has several options.

If both sides agree, they can resume negotiations using the report as a guideline. The district, because it prevailed in most of the report, can unilaterally implement its last offer.

A third option is for the district to do nothing, which would essentially mean the 800 workers would not be protected by a contract.

David C. Larson, an attorney for the district, and Tim Van Eck, assistant superintendent for personnel, said such a move would have little impact on individual employees.

“The employees would continue to be covered by the terms of the old contract,” Van Eck said. “There would not be any major changes.”

Union officials could not be reached for comment.