Orange School Workers’ Union Authorizes Strike

Union members, including school bus drivers, food service and clerical workers, voted Thursday night to authorize a strike in hopes of pressuring school district officials to renegotiate a contract the union president called “ludicrous.”

The 338-50 vote gives union officials the power to stage a sickout or a strike if a final meeting with officials of the Orange Unified School District fails. The meeting has yet to be scheduled.

District officials have said that if a strike occurs, they will keep the schools running. The biggest challenge would be transporting nearly 7,000 students by bus and providing before- and after-school child care at 24 elementary schools during a strike, said Jack Elsner, the district’s head of personnel.

The California School Employees Assn. represents 1,160 non-teaching employees, including maintenance workers and day-care workers.

At a packed meeting at Yorba Middle School, union officials assailed the new contract, which reduces health benefits, imposes furloughs and empowers the district to lay off union employees without conferring with the union.

“I hope this vote sends a strong message that this is it,” said Becky Mayers, president of the California School Employees Assn., Chapter 67. “We are going to try one last time to negotiate, and if that doesn’t work, we will take whatever steps necessary to make the district listen.”

District officials could not be reached for comment Thursday. But earlier this week, they said the new contract is vital to keep the financially strapped school district afloat.

Classified employees, like teachers and administrators, were asked to share the burden of closing a $2.2-million shortfall in this year’s $107-million budget. The contract saves the district a $484,113, according to officials.

The conflict began March 24 when the Board of Education imposed a contract on classified workers, concluding nearly 11 months of labor negotiations. Classified workers were angered that the contract will force union employees to take three furlough days and to pay as much as $87 extra per month to maintain current health benefits.

But a clause giving the district the power to lay off union employees or cut their hours without negotiation drew the most fire from the union. Under the new contract, union officials fear, the district will save on health benefits by laying off full-time employees and hiring part-time workers to replace them. (Employers do not have to provide health benefits to part-time employees.)

District officials have said those fears are unfounded.

Elsner, the district’s head of personnel, also denied that the district had negotiated in bad faith.

“We have been very upfront with the union indicating our economic deficit,” he said. “We didn’t hide anything.”

Union workers have not had a raise since 1988, and took a 2.59% pay cut last year.