THOUSAND OAKS : Impasse Declared on Teachers’ Contract

Thousand Oaks teachers and school officials have declared an impasse in contract talks that have been going on since the three-year teachers contract expired in June.

A state-appointed mediator will sit down with both sides Feb. 8 to see if a compromise can be reached, officials said.

In more than 20 negotiating sessions, bargainers for the United Assn. of Conejo Teachers agreed to accept a 3.5% pay cut over two years. However, school officials want teachers to accept a 4.5% cut, both sides said.

“We’re not that far apart, but the last half-million is always the hardest,” said Hal Vick, executive director of the teachers union.

The teachers union has agreed to about $2.2 million in cuts, while the district is looking for $2.6 million in cuts, said Conejo Valley Unified School District Assistant Supt. Leean Nemeroff.

A second issue separating the two sides is the union’s desire for membership in the organization to become mandatory for all district teachers. Membership is optional and about 569 of the district’s 683 teachers belong.